The  Religion  of  Science  Library 


Bi-Monthly  MARCH.   1900  ,        dumber  42 

Yearly,  $1.50  ^  15  cents  (gd.) 

Entered  at  the  Chicago  Post  Office  as  Second  Class  Mail  Matter. 


World's  Congress  Addresses 


BY 

CHARLES  CARROLL  BONNEY 


CHICAGO 

THE  OPEN  COURT  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

FOR    SALE    BY 

Kegan  Paul,  Trench,  Triibner  &  Co.,  Ltd.  , LONDON 
1900 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 

THE  World's  Congresses  of  1893  were  held  in  the  City  of 
Chicago  from  May  15  to  October  28  under  the  direction  of 
an  organisation  which  bore  the  name  of  The  World's  Congress 
Auxiliary  of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition. 

There  were  twenty  Departments  and  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  General  Divisions  in  which  Congresses  were  held. 

These  Congresses  embraced  Woman's  Progress,  The  Public 
Press,  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Temperance,  Moral  and  Social  Re- 
form, Commerce  and  Finance,  Music,  Literature,  Education,  En- 
gineering, Art,  Government,  Science  and  Philosophy,  Social  and 
Economic  Science,  Labor,  Religion,  Sunday  Rest,  Public  Health, 
and  Agriculture. 

The  Department  of  Religion  embraced  forty-six  General  Di- 
visions including  the  Parliament  of  Religions. 

In  announcing  the  plans  for  the  Religious  Congresses  the  ob- 
ject in  view  was  proclaimed  on  the  title-page  of  the  announcement 
in  these  words : 

"To  unite  all  religion  against  all  irreligion  ;  to  make  the  Gol- 
den Rule  the  basis  of  this  union  ;  to  present  to  the  world  in  the 
Religious  Congresses  to  be  held  in  connexion  with  the  Columbian 
Exposition  of  1893,  the  substantial  unity  of  many  religions  in  the 
good  deeds  of  the  religious  life ;  to  provide  for  a  World's  Parlia- 
ment of  Religions,  in  which  their  common  aims  and  common 
grounds  of  union  may  be  set  forth,  and  the  marvellous  religious 
progress  of  the  nineteenth  century  reviewed ;  and  to  facilitate  sep- 
arate and  independent  Congresses  of  different  religious  denomina- 
tions and  organisations,  under  their  own  oflScers,  in  which  their 


iv  world's  congress  addresses. 

business  may  be  transacted,  their  achievements   presented  and 
their  work  for  the  future  considered." 

By  inviting  the  different  Religious  Denominations  to  hold  sep- 
arate and  independent  Congresses,  they  were  effectually  protected 
against  any  appearance  of  surrendering  their  distinctive  character- 
istics and  could  safely  participate  in  the  Union  Congress,  called 
the  World's  Parliament  of  Religions. 

Of  many  of  the  Addresses  delivered  by  President  Bonney  dur- 
ing the  World's  Congress  season  no  report  was  preserved ;  but 
enough  have  been  found  to  present  quite  fully  the  principles  which 
governed  the  World's  Congress  work  ;  and  it  is  deemed  important 
to  show  how  it  was  that  the  representatives  of  all  the  World's  Re- 
ligions were  induced  to  give  their  concurrence  and  aid  ;  and  the 
secret  of  the  marvellous  unanimity  displayed  at  Chicago  in  1893 
will  be  found  sufficiently  indicated  in  the  present  publication, 
which  is  confined,  for  the  most  part,  to  the  Addresses  of  Welcome 
to  the  Religious  Denominational  Congresses. 

These  addresses  are  therefore  printed  at  this  time  as  a  Memo- 
rial of  the  wonderful  events  of  the  Columbian  Year.  They  are 
printed  without  note  or  comment  to  avoid  an  undue  increase  of 
the  volume  and  because  they  seem  sufficiently  to  explain  them- 
selves. 

Paul  Carus, 
Manager  of  the  Open  Coart  Pub.  Co. 

Chicago,  igoo. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGE 


The  World's  Parliament  of  Religions.    Opening  Session     .  i 

The  World's  Parliament  of  Religions.     Closing  Address          .  lo 

The  Jewish  Congress 15 

The  Roman  Catholic  Congress .  19 

The  Congregational  Congress 25 

The  New  Jerusalem  Congress 28 

The  Reformed  Protestant  Episcopal  Congress       .....  33 

The  Lutheran  Congress " 35 

The  Evangelical  Association  Congress 38 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Congress 41 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Congress      ....  44 

The  Free  Religious  Association  Congress 49 

The  Ethical  Congress 53 

The  Christian  Science  Congress 58 

The  Army  Chaplains'  Congress 61 

The  Missions'  Congress , 64 

The  Evangelical  Alliance  Congress 70 

The  World's  Congresses  of  1893.     Final  Session 76 


THE  WORLD'S  PARLIAMENT  OF 
RELIGIONS. 

OPENING  SESSION. 

Worshippers  of  God  and  Lovers  of  Man  : 

Let  us  rejoice  that  we  have  lived  to  see  this  glori- 
ous day;  let  us  give  thanks  to  the  Eternal  God,  whose 
mercy  endureth  forever,  that  we  are  permitted  to  take 
part  in  the  solemn  and  majestic  event  of  a  World's 
Congress  of  Religions.  The  importance  of  this  event 
cannot  be  overestimated.  Its  influence  on  the  future 
relations  of  the  various  races  of  men  cannot  be  too 
highly  esteemed. 

If  this  Congress  shall  faithfully  execute  the  duties 
with  which  it  has  been  charged,  it  will  become  a  joy 
of  the  whole  earth,  and  will  stand  in  human  history 
like  a  new  Mount  Zion,  crowned  with  glory  and  mark- 
ing the  actual  beginning  of  a  new  epoch  of  brother- 
hood and  peace. 

For  when  the  religious  faiths  of  the  world  recog- 
nise each  other  as  brothers,  children  of  one  Father, 
whom  all  profess  to  love  and  serve,  then,  and  not  till 
then,  will  the  nations  of  the  earth  yield  to  the  spirit 
of  concord  and  learn  war  no  more. 


2  world's  congress  addresses. 

It  is  inspiring  to  think  that  in  every  part  of  the 
world  many  of  the  worthiest  of  mankind,  who  would 
gladly  join  us  here  if  that  were  in  their  power,  this 
day  lift  their  hearts  to  the  Supreme  Being  in  earnest 
prayer  for  the  harmony  and  success  of  this  Congress. 
To  them  our  own  hearts  speak  in  love  and  sympathy 
of  this  impressive  and  prophetic  scene. 

A  distinguished  representative  of  India  who  has 
come  to  participate  in  this  Parliament,  tells  us  that 
twenty  centuries  ago  a  similar  convocation  of  the  re- 
ligions of  that  part  of  the  world  was  called  by  the 
king  of  his  country.  Great  indeed  must  be  his  felicity 
in  now  attending  and  taking  part  in  a  religious  con- 
gress in  which  all  the  continents  of  the  earth  have 
actual  representation. 

In  this  congress  the  word  "religion"  means  the 
love  and  worship  of  God  and  the  love  and  service  of 
man.  We  believe  the  scripture  that  "of  a  truth  God 
is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  nation  he  that 
feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousness  is  accepted  of 
him." 

We  come  together  in  mutual  confidence  and  re- 
spect, without  the  least  surrender  or  compromise  of 
anything  which  we  respectively  believe  to  be  truth  or 
duty,  with  the  hope  that  mutual  acquaintance  and  a 
free  and  sincere  interchange  of  views  on  the  great 
questions  of  eternal  life  and  human  conduct  will  be 
mutually  beneficial. 

As  the  finite  can  never  fully  comprehend  the  in- 


world's  congress  addresses.  3 

finite,  nor  perfectly  express  its  own  view  of  the  divine, 
it  necessarily  follows  that  individual  opinions  of  the 
divine  nature  and  attributes  will  differ.  But,  properly 
understood,  these  varieties  of  view  are  not  causes  of 
discord  and  strife,  but  rather  incentives  to  deeper  in- 
terest and  examination.  Necessarily  God  reveals  him- 
self differently  to  a  child  than  to  a  man ;  to  a  philos- 
opher than  to  one  who  cannot  read.  Each  must  see 
God  with  the  eyes  of  his  own  soul.  Each  must  be- 
hold him  through  the  colored  glass  of  his  own  nature. 
Each  one  must  receive  him  according  to  his  own  ca- 
pacity of  reception.  The  fraternal  union  of  the  re- 
ligions of  the  world  will  come  when  each  seeks  truly 
to  know  how  God  has  revealed  himself  in  the  others, 
and  remembers  the  inexorable  law  that  with  what 
judgment  it  judges  it  shall  itself  be  judged. 

The  religious  faiths  of  the  world  have  most  seri- 
ously misunderstood  and  misjudged  each  other  from 
the  use  of  words  in  meanings  radically  different  from 
those  which  they  were  intended  to  bear,  and  from  a 
disregard  of  the  distinctions  between  appearances  and 
facts;  between  signs  and  symbols  and  the  things  sig- 
nified and  represented.  Such  errors  it  is  hoped  that 
this  congress  will  do  much  to  correct  and  render  here- 
.  after  impossible. 

He  who  believes  that  God  has  revealed  himself 
more  fully  in  his  own  religion  than  in  any  other,  can- 
not do  otherwise  than  desire  to  bring  that  religion  to 
the  knowledge  of  all  men,  with  an  abiding  conviction 


4  world's  congress  addresses. 

that  the  God  who  gave  it  will  preserve,  protect,  and 
advance  it  in  every  expedient  way.  And  hence  he 
will  welcome  every  just  opportunity  to  come  into  fra- 
ternal relations  with  men  of  other  creeds,  that  they 
may  see  in  his  upright  life  the  evidence  of  the  truth 
and  beauty  of  his  faith,  and  be  thereby  led  to  learn  it 
and  be  helped  heavenward  by  it. 

When  it  pleased  God  to  give  me  the  idea  of  the 
World's  Congresses  of  1893,  there  came  with  that  idea 
a  profound  conviction  that  their  crowning  glory  should 
be  a  fraternal  conference  of  the  world's  religions.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  original  announcement  of  the  World's 
Congress  scheme,  which  was  sent  by  the  Government 
of  the  United  States  to  all  other  nations,  contained, 
among  other  great  themes  to  be  considered,  "The 
grounds  of  fraternal  union  in  the  ....  religions  of 
different  peoples." 

At  first,  the  proposal  of  a  World's  Congress  of  Re- 
ligions seemed  to  many  wholly  impracticable.  It  was 
said  that  the  religions  had  never  met  but  in  conflict, 
and  that  a  different  result  could  not  be  expected  now. 
A  committee  of  organisation  was,  nevertheless,  ap- 
pointed to  make  the  necessary  arrangements.  This 
committee  was  composed  of  representatives  of  sixteen 
different  religious  bodies.  Rev.  Dr.  John  Henry  Bar- 
rows was  made  chairman.  With  what  marvellous 
ability  and  fidelity  he  has  performed  the  great  work 
committed  to  his  hands,  this  Congress  is  a  sufficient 
witness. 


world's  congress  addresses.  5 

The  preliminary  address  of  the  committee,  pre- 
pared by  him  and  sent  throughout  the  world,  elicited 
the  most  gratifying  responses,  and  proved  that  the 
proposed  congress  was  not  only  practicable,  but  also 
that  it  was  most  earnestly  demanded  by  the  needs  of 
the  present  age.  The  religious  leaders  of  many  lands, 
hungering  and  thirsting  for  a  larger  righteousness, 
gave  the  proposal  their  benedictions  and  promised 
the  congress  their  active  co-operation  and  support. 

To  most  of  the  departments  of  the  World's  Con- 
gress work  a  single  week  of  the  exposition  season  was 
assigned.  To  a  few  of  the  most  important  a  longer 
time,  not  exceeding  two  weeks,  was  given.  In  the 
beginning  it  was  supposed  that  one  or  two  weeks 
would  suffice  for  the  department  of  religion;  but  so 
great  has  been  the  interest,  and  so  many  have  been 
the  applications  in  this  department,  that  the  plans  for 
it  have  repeatedly  been  rearranged,  and  it  now  ex- 
tends from  September  4  to  October  15,  and  several  of 
the  religious  congresses  have  nevertheless  found  it 
necessary  to  meet  outside  of  these  limits. 

The  programme  for  the  Religious  Congresses  of 
1893  constitutes  what  may,  with  perfect  propriety,  be 
designated  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  publications 
of  the  century. 

The  programme  of  this  General  Parliament  of 
Religions  directly  represents  England,  Scotland, 
Sweden,  Switzerland,  France,  Germany,  Russia,  Tur- 
key, Greece,  Egypt,  Syria,  India,  Japan,  China,  Cey- 


6  world's  congress  addresses. 

ton,  New  Zealand,  Brazil,  Canada,  and  the  American 
States,  and  indirectly  includes  mrny  other  countries. 
This  remarkable  programme  presents,  among  other 
great  themes  to  be  considered  in  this  Congress,  The- 
jsm,  Judaism,  Mohammedanism,  Hinduism,  Bud- 
dhism, Taoism,  Confucianism,  Shintoism,  Zoroas- 
trianism,  Catholicism,  the  Greek  Church,  Protestant- 
ism in  many  forms,  and  also  refers  to  the  nature  and 
influence  of  other  religious  systems. 

This  programme  also  announces  for  presentation 
the  great  subjects  of  revelation,  immortality,  the  In- 
carnation of  God,  the  universal  elements  in  religion, 
the  ethical  unity  of  different  religious  systems,  the 
relations  of  religion  to  morals,  marriage,  education, 
science,  philosophy,  evolution,  music,  labor,  govern- 
ment, peace,  and  war,  and  many  other  theories  of  ab- 
sorbing interest. 

The  distinguished  leaders  of  human  progress  by 
whom  these  great  topics  will  be  presented  constitute 
an  unparalleled  galaxy  of  eminent  names,  but  we  may 
not  pause  to  call  the  illustrious  roll.  For  the  execu- 
tion of  this  part  of  the  general  programme  seventeen 
days  have  been  assigned. 

During  subtantially  the  same  period  the  second 
part  of  the  programme  will  be  executed  in  the  adjoin- 
ing Hall  of  Washington.  This  will  consist  in  what 
are  termed  "presentations"  of  their  distinctive  faith 
and  achievements  by  selected  representatives  of  the 
different  churches.    These  presentations  will  be  made 


world's  congress  addresses.  7 

to  the  world,  as  represented  in  the  World's  Religious 
Congresses  of  1893.  All  persons  interested  are  cor- 
dially invited  to  attend  them. 

The  third  part  of  the  general  programme  for  the 
Congresses  of  this  department  consists  of  separate 
and  independent  religious  denominations  for  the  pur- 
pose of  more  fully  setting  forth  their  doctrines  and 
the  service  they  have  rendered  to  mankind. 

These  special  Congresses  will  .be  held,  for  the  most 
part,  in  the  smaller  halls  of  this  Memorial  Building. 
A  few  of  them  have,  for  special  reasons,  already  been 
held.  It  is  the  special  object  of  these  Denominational 
Congresses  to  afford  opportunities  for  further  infor- 
mation to  all  who  may  desire  it. 

The  leaders  of  these  several  churches  must  cor- 
dially desire  the  attendance  of  the  representatives  of 
"other  religions.    The  Denominational  Congresses  will 
each  be  held  during  the  week  in  which  the  presenta- 
tion of  the  denomination  will  occur. 

The  fourth  and  final  part  of  the  programme  of  the 
department  of  religion  will  consist  of  congresses  of 
various  kindred  organisations.  These  congresses  will 
be  held  between  the  close  of  the  Parliament  of  Reli- 
gions and  October  15,  and  will  include  Missions, 
Ethics,  Sunday  Rest,  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  and 
similar  associations. 

The  Congress  on  Evolution  should,  in  regularity, 
have  been  held  in  the  department  of  science,  but  cir- 
cumstances prevented,  and  it  has  been  given  a  place 


8  world's  congress  addresses. 

in  this  department  by  the  courtesy  of  the  Committee 
of  Organisation. 

To  tliis  more  than  imperial  feast  I  bid  you  wel- 
come. 

Let  one  other  point  be  clearly  stated.  While  the 
members  of  this  Congress  meet,  as  men,  on  a  common 
ground  of  perfect  equality,  the  ecclesiastical  rank  of 
each,  in  his  own  church,  is,  at  the  same  time,  gladly 
recognised  and  respected,  as  the  just  acknowledgment 
of  his  services  and  attainments. 

But  no  attempt  is  here  made  to  treat  all  religions 
as  of  equal  merit.  Any  such  idea  is  expressly  dis- 
claimed. In  this  Congress,  each  system  of  religion 
stands  by  itself  in  its  own  perfect  integrity,  uncom- 
promised  in  any  degree,  by  its  relation  to  any  other. 
In  the  language  of  the  preliminary  publication  in  the 
Department  of  Religion,  we  seek  in  this  Congress  "to 
unite  all  religion  against  all  irreligion  ;  to  make  the 
Golden  Rule  the  basis  of  this  union ;  and  to  present 
to  the  world  the  substantial  unity  of  many  religions 
in  the  good  deeds  of  the  righteous  life." 

Without  controversy,  or  any  attempt  to  pronounce 
judgment  upon  any  matter  of  faith  or  worship  or  re- 
ligious opinion,  we  seek  a  better  knowledge  of  the 
religious  condition  of  all  mankind,  with  an  earnest 
desire  to  be  useful  to  each  other,  and  to  all  who  love 
truth  and  righteousness. 

We  meet  on  the  mountain  height  of  absolute  re- 
spect for  the  religious  convictions  of  each  other;  and 


world's  congress  addresses.  9 

an  earnest  desire  for  better  knowledge  of  the  consola- 
tions which  other  forms  of  faith  offer  to  their  devotees. 
The  very  basis  of  our  convocation  is  the  idea  that  the 
representatives  of  each  religion  sincerely  believe  that 
it  is  the  truest  and  best  of  all ;  and  that  they  will, 
therefore,  hear  with  perfect  candor  and  without  fear, 
the  convictions  of  other  sincere  souls  on  the  great 
questions  of  the  immortal  life. 

This  day  the  sun  of  a  new  era  of  religious  peace 
and  progress  rises  over  the  world,  dispelling  the  dark 
clouds  of  sectarian  strife. 

This  day  a  new  flower  blooms  in  the  garden  of 
religious  thought,  filling  the  air  with  its  exquisite  per- 
fume. 

This  day  a  new  fraternity  is  born  into  the  world  of 
human  progress,  to  aid  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  king- 
dom of  God  in  the  hearts  of  men- 
Era  and  flower  and  fraternity  bear  one  name.  It 
is  a  name  which  will  gladden  the  hearts  of  those  who 
worship  God  and  love  man  in  every  clime.  Those 
who  hear  its  music  joyfully  echo  it  back  to  sun  and 
flower. 

It  is  the  Brotherhood  of  Religions. 
In  this  name  I  welcome  the  First  Parliament  of 
the  Religions  of  the  world. 


THE  WORLD'S  PARLIAAIENT  OF 
RELIGIONS. 

CLOSING  ADDRESS. 

Worshippers  of  God  and  Lovers  of  Man: 

The  closing  words  of  this  great  event  must  now  be 
spoken.  With  inexpressible  joy  I  give  them  utter- 
ance. 

The  wonderful  success  of  this  first  actual  Congress 
of  the  Religions  of  the  World,  is  the  realisation  of  a 
conviction  which  has  held  my  heart  for  many  years. 
I  became  acquainted  with  the  great  religious  systems 
of  the  world  in  my  youth,  and  have  enjoyed  an  in- 
timate association  with  leaders  of  many  churches  dur- 
ing my  maturer  years.  I  was  thus  led  to  believe  that 
if  the  great  religious  faiths  could  be  brought  into  rela- 
tions of  friendly  intercourse,  many  points  of  sympathy 
and  union  would  be  found,  and  the  coming  unity  of 
mankind  in  the  love  of  God  and  the  service  of  man  be 
greatly  facilitated  and  advanced.  Hence,  when  the 
occasion  arose  it  was  gladly  welcomed,  and  the  effort 
more  than  willingly  made. 

What  many  deemed  impossible,  God  has  finally 
wrought.     The  Religions  of  the  World  have  actually 


world's  congress  addresses.  h 

met  in  a  great  and  imposing  assembly  ;  they  have  con- 
ferred together  on  the  vital  questions  of  life  and  im- 
mortality in  a  frank  and  friendly  spirit ;  and  now  they 
part  in  peace  with  many  warm  expressions  of  mutual 
affection  and  respect. 

The  laws  of  the  Congress  forbidding  controversy 
or  attack,  have,  on  the  whole,  been  wonderfully  well 
observed.  The  exceptions  are  so  few  that  they  may  well 
be  expunged  from  the  record  and  from  the  memory. 
They  even  served  the  useful  purpose  of  timely  warn- 
ing against  the  tendency  to  indulge  in  intellectual 
conflict. 

If  an  unkind  hand  threw  a  firebrand  into  the  as- 
sembly, let  us  be  thankful  that  a  kinder  hand  plunged 
it  in  the  waters  of  forgiveness,  and  quenched  its  flame. 

If  some  Western  warrior,  forgetting  for  the  moment 
that  this  was  a  friendly  conference,  and  not  a  battle, 
field,  uttered  his  war-cry,  let  us  rejoice  that  our  Orien- 
tal friends  with  a  kinder  spirit  answered  :  Father  for- 
give them  for  they  know  not  what  they  do. 

No  system  of  faith  or  worship  has  been  com- 
promised by  this  friendly  conference ;  no  apostle  of 
any  religion  has  been  placed  in  a  false  position  by  any 
act  of  this  Congress. 

The  knowledge  here  acquired  will  be  carried  by 
those  who  have  gained  it,  as  precious  treasure  to  their 
respective  countries,  and  will  there,  in  freedom  and 
according  to  reason,  be  considered,  judged  and  ap- 
plied, as  they  shall  deem  right. 


12  world's  congress  addresses. 

The  influence  which  this  Congress  of  the  Religions 
of  the  World  will  exert  on  the  peace  and  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  world  is  beyond  the  power  of  human  lan- 
guage to  describe.  For  this  influence,  borne  by  those 
who  have  attended  the  sessions  of  the  Parliament  of 
Religions  to  all  parts.of  the  world,  will  affect,  in  some  ^ 
important  degree,  all  races  of  men;  all  forms  of  reli- 
gion ;  and  even  all  governments  and  social  institutions. 

The  results  of  this  influence  will  not  soon  be  appar- 
ent in  external  changes,  but  will  manifest  themselves 
in  thought,  feeling,  expression,  and  the  deeds  of  char- 
ity. Creeds  and  institutions  may  long  remain  un- 
changed in  form,  but  the  new  spirit  of  light  and  peace 
will  pervade  them  ;  for  this  Congress  of  the  World's 
Religions  is  the  most  marvellous  evidence  yet  given 
of  the  approaching  fulfilment  of  the  apocalyptic 
prophecy  :  Behold!  I  make  all  things  new! 

But  great  as  this  World's  Parliament  of  Religions 
is  in  itself,  its  importance  is  immeasurably  enhanced 
by  its  environment  and  relations.  It  is  the  center  and 
crown  of  a  great  movement  which  touches  all  the  lead- 
ing interests  of  humanity.  It  has  been  aided  by,  and 
is,  in  turn,  beneficial  to  all  these  interests. 

Religion  is  but  one  of  the  twenty  departments  of 
the  World's  Congress  work.  Besides  this  august 
Parliament  of  the  World's  Religions,  there  are  more 
than  forty  other  Congresses  in  this  department,  be- 
sides a  number  of  Special  Conferences  on  important 
subjects. 


world's  congress  addresses.  13 

Thus  the  divine  influences  of  religion  are  brought 
in  contact  with  Woman's  Progress,  the  Public  Press, 
Medicine  and  Surgery,  Temperance,  Moral  and  Social 
Reform,  Commerce  and  Finance,  Music,  Literature, 
Education,  Engineering,  Art,  Government,  Science 
and  Philosophy,  Social  and  Economic  Science,  Labor, 
Sunday  Rest,  Public  Health,  Agriculture,  and  other 
important  subjects  embraced  in  a  General  Depart- 
ment. 

The  importance  of  the  Denominational  Congress 
of  the  various  churches  should  be  emphasised,  for  they 
conserve  the  forces  which  have  made  the  Parliament 
such  a  wonderful  success. 

The  establishment  of  a  Universal  Fraternity  of 
Learning  and  Virtue  was  declared  to  be  the  ultimate 
aim  of  this  World's  Congress  Auxiliary  of  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition.  The  Congress  of  Religions 
has  always  been  in  anticipation,  what  it  is  now  in  fact, 
the  culmination  of  the  World's  Congress  scheme. 
This  hour  therefore  seems  to  me  the  most  appropriate 
to  announce  that  upon  the  conclusion  of  the  World's 
Congress  series  as  now  arranged,  a  proclamation  of 
that  Fraternity  will  be  issued  to  promote  the  continua- 
tion, in  all  parts  of  the  world,  of  the  great  work  in 
which  the  Congresses  of  1893  have  been  engaged. 

And  now  farewell.  A  thousand  congratulations 
and  thanks  for  the  co-operation  and  aid  of  all  who 
have  contributed  to  the  glorious  results  which  we 
celebrate  this  night. 


14  world's  congress  addresses. 

Henceforth  the  religions  of  the  world  will  make 
war,  not  on  each  other,  but  on  the  giant  evils  that 
afflict  mankind. 

Henceforth  let  all  throughout  the  world,  who  wor- 
ship God  and  love  their  fellow  men,  join  in  the  anthem 
of  the  angels : 

Glory  to  God  in  the  highest  I 

Peace  on  Earth  ! 

Good  will  among  men  1 


THE  JEWISH  CONGRESS. 

Masters  and  Teachers  of  Israel;  Officers  and 
Members  of  the  Jewish  Denominational  Con- 
gress OF  1893  : 

The  providence  of  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and 
Jacob,  who  created  man  in  his  own  image,  and  gave 
him  from  Sinai's  glory-crowned  summit  the  law  of  a 
righteous  life,  has  so   ordered  the  arrangements  for 
the  Religious  Congresses  to  be  held  under  the  auspices 
of   the  World's   Congress    Auxiliary   of    the   World's 
Columbian  Exposition,  that  without  any  plan  to  that 
end,  this  Congress  of  the  Jewish  Church  is  the  first  of 
the  series.   The  month  of  August  having  been  assigned 
for  the  Congresses  on  Engineering,  Art,  Government, 
Science,  and  kindred  subjects,  the  month  of  Septem- 
ber was  set  apart  for  the  Congresses  of  that  greatest 
Department  of  the  World's  Congress  work,  the  Depart- 
ment of  Religion.     For  this  reason  many  efforts  were 
made  to  fix  a  later  date  for  this  Jewish  Congress  but 
it  was  found  impracticable  to  do  so  ;  and  when  the 
present  date  was  finally  settled,  it  was  not  then  ex- 
pected that  place  could  be  found  for  the  sessions  of 
the  Congress  in  the  Memorial  Art  Palace,   but  that 


i6  world's  congress  addresses. 

one  of  the  Chicago  synagogues  must  be  selected  for 
them.  But  when  the  assignments  of  the  August  Con- 
gresses which  had  the  prior  right  to  this  week  were 
finally  made,  it  was  happily  found  that  the  Jewish 
Congress  could  be  accommodated  here  where  the  other 
Religious  Congresses  will  be  held,  and  the  arrange- 
ments were,  with  much  pleasure,  accordingly  changed. 

Thus  the  Mother  Church  from  which  all  the  Chris- 
tian Denominations  trace  their  lineage,  and  which 
stands  in  the  history  of  mankind  as  the  especial  ex- 
ponent of  august  and  triumphant  Theism,  has  been 
called  upon  to  open  the  Religious  Congresses  of  1893. 

But  far  more  important  and  significant  is  the  fact 
that  this  arrangement  has  been  made  ;  and  this  Con- 
gress is  now  formally  opened  and  welcomed,  by  as 
ultra  and  ardent  a  Christian  as  the  world  contains.  It 
is  because  I  am  a  Christian,  and  the  Chairman  of  the 
General  Committee  of  Organisation  of  the  Religious 
Congresses  is  a  Christian,  and  a  large  majority  of  that 
Committee  are  Christians,  that  this  day  deserves  to 
stand  gold-bordered  in  human  history,  as  one  of  the 
signs  that  a  new  age  of  brotherhood  and  peace  has- 
truly  come. 

We  know  that  you  are  Jews,  while  we  are  Chris 
tians  and  would  have  all  men  so,  but  of  all  the  precious 
liberties  which  free  men  enjoy,  the  highest  is  the  free- 
dom to  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  con- 
science ;    and  this  great  liberty  is  the  right,   not  of 


world's  congress  addresses.  17 

some  men,  but  of  all ;  not  of  Christians  only,  but  of 
Jews,  and  Gentiles  as  well. 

I  desire  from  all  men  respect  for  my  religious  con- 
victions; and  claim  for  myself  and  mine  the  right  to 
enjoy  them  without  molestation ;  and  my  Master  has 
commanded  me  that  whatsoever  I  would  have  another 
do  to  me,  I  should  also  do  to  him.  What,  therefore, 
I  ask  for  myself,  a  Christian,  I  must  give  to  you  as 
Jews.  Our  differences  of  opinion  and  belief  are  be- 
tween ourselves  and  God,  the  Judge  and  Father  of  us 
all. 

Through  all  the  sacred  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, we  walk  side  by  side,  revering  the  creation; 
journeying  through  the  wilderness;  chanting  the 
psalms  and  inspired  by  the  prophecies  ;  and  if  we  part 
at  the  threshold  of  the  Gospels  it  shall  be,  not  with  an- 
ger but  with  love,  and  a  grateful  remembrance  of  our 
long  and  pleasant  journey  from  Genesis  to  Malachi. 

The  supreme  significance  of  this  Congress  and  the 
others  is,  that  they  herald  the  death  of  Persecution 
throughout  the  world ;  and  proclaim  the  coming  reign 
of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

Oh  !  Religion  !  Religion  !  how  many  crimes  have 
been  committed  in  thy  name  !  The  crimes  committed 
in  the  name  of  Liberty  are  but  few  in  comparison. 

Against  religious  persecution  all  the  religions  of 
the  world  should  be  united,  and  support  each  other 
with  unfailing  zeal.  This  is  not  saying  that  all  reli- 
gions are  of  equal  worth.     This  is  not  saying  that  any 


i8  world's  congress  addresses. 

one  should  yield  one  jot  or  tittle  of  his  own  peculiar 
faith.  It  is  quite  the  contrary.  For  only  when  one 
is  protected  in  his  proper  liberties,  and  can  "act  in 
freedom  according  to  reason,"  can  he  properly  examine 
his  own  faith,  or  that  of  his  fellow  man. 

With  perfect  religious  liberty  ;  with  comprehensive 
and  adequate  education  ;  with  a  life  according  to  the 
great  commandments,  mankind  will  come  into  closer 
and  closer  relations ;  into  a  better  and  better  under- 
standing of  their  social,  political  and  religious  differ- 
ences, and  the  living  power  of  the  truth,  guided  by 
the  sovereign  providence  of  God,  will  more  and  more 
make  the  whole  world  one  in  human  brotherhood  and 
service,  and  finally  in  religious  faith.  Henceforth  the 
leaders  of  mankind  will  seek,  not  for  points  of  differ- 
ence, but  for  grounds  of  union,  striving  earnestly  to 
know  the  truth,  that  the  truth  may  make  them  free 
from  the  bondage  of  prejudice  and  error,  and  more 
and  more  efficient  in  advancing  the  enlightenment  and 
welfare  of  the  world.  With  these  sentiments  I  wel- 
come the  Jewish  Denominational  Congress  of  1893. 


THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CONGRESS. 

Officers  and  Members  of  the  Columbian  Catholic 
Congress  : 

In  the  name  of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary, 
organised  to  conduct  the  moral  and  intellectual  part 
of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  of  1893  ;  and  in 
the  name  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States, 
which  invited  all  nations  to  participate  in  the  Con- 
gresses to  be  held  under  the  auspices  of  the  Auxiliary; 
and  in  the  name  of  fifty  millions  of  non-Catholics  who 
love  justice  and  believe  in  equal  religious  liberty  for 
all  men,  I  salute  you,  and  bid  you  welcome. 

This  memorial  building,  and  every  facility  which 
the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary  can  command,  is  most 
cordially  offered  for  the  purposes  of  your  Congress. 

That  a  great  change  has  come  in  the  relations  be- 
tween the  Catholic  Church  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
Protestant  Churches  on  the  other,  is  known  through- 
out the  world.  That  "-his  change  has  largely  increased 
human  happiness,  and  has  in  many  ways  promoted  the 
cause  of  peace  and  progress,  is  also  widely  acknowl- 
edged. 

A  brief  reference  to  some  of  the  leading  causes  of 


20  WORLD  S  CONGRESS  ADDRESSES. 

this  change  seems,  however,  especially  appropriate  to 
this  occasion,  and  may  serve  to  strengthen  the  gra- 
cious bonds  of  charity  and  affection  which  are  now 
gently  drawing  nearer  and  nearer  to  each  other,  all 
the  various  branches  of  the  great  family  of  mankind. 

Of  those  causes,  the  benign  spirit  of  the  New  Age 
should  first  be  named.  Descending  from  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  this  spirit  of  progress  is  filling  the 
earth  with  its  splendor  and  beautj-,  its  warmth  and 
vivifying  power,  and  making  the  old  things  of  truth 
and  justice  new  in  meaning,  strength  and  energy  to 
execute  God's  will  for  the  welfare  of  man. 

Among  the  secondary  causes  of  the  change  to 
which  reference  has  been  made,  there  are  several 
which  it  seems  a  duty  as  well  as  a  pleasure  to  recall 
on  this  occasion. 

The  noble  and  successful  work  of  the  Catholic 
Church  in  the  field  of  practical  Temperance  reform, 
first  attracted  the  attention  and  won  the  sympathy  of 
the  Protestant  people  of  America. 

The  new  Catholic  movement  for  the  relief  and 
elevation  of  the  toiling  masses,  which  culminated  in 
the  great  papal  encyclical  on  the  relations  of  labor, 
deepened  the  interest  of  the  Protestant  world  in  the 
work  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  excited  the  love  and 
admiration  of  many  non-Catholics. 

The  new  Catholic  activity  in  the  extension  of 
higher  education  is  another  cause  of  the  better  rela- 
tions which  have  recently  been  established. 


world's  congress  addresses.  21 

For  science  and  art  and  literature  are  of  no  sect  or 
creed.  They  belong  to  man,  whatever  may  be  his 
political  or  religious  views,  and  are  bonds  of  fraternity 
everywhere. 

Over  the  grave  in  which  was  buried  the  dead  strife 
of  former  generations,  the  apostles  of  the  new  age 
have  clasped  hands  in  a  new  pledge  of  fidelity  in  the 
pursuit  of  learning,  and  virtue,  and  the  life  that  is 
called  Charity. 

There  is  one  important  particular  in  which  the 
ideas  of  Catholic  educational  leaders  are  in  peculiar 
accord  with  the  original  American  doctrine  of  popular 
education.  The  third  article  of  the  great  ordinance 
of  1787  for  the  government  of  the  territory  of  which 
Chicago  is  the  metropolis,  declares  that  "Religion, 
morality  and  knowledge,  being  necessary  to  good  gov- 
ernment and  the  happiness  of  mankind,  schools  and 
the  means  of  education  shall  forever  be  encouraged." 

Not  knowledge  only ;  not  knowledge  and  morality 
merely,  but  Religion,  Morality  and  Knowledge,  sacred 
trinity  of  the  powers  of  human  progress,  are  essential 
to  the  proper  education  of  the  people. 

The  new  apostles  of  Catholic  progress  have  become 
especially  endeared  to  enlightened  Protestants.  Henry 
Edward  Manning,  Cardinal  Archbishop  of  West- 
minster, can  hardly  be  more  beloved,  nor  his  loss  more 
sincerely  mourned,  within  the  Catholic  Church  than 
without  its  fold.  His  gracious  and  earnest  words  on 
"Protestant  Dissenters,"  "Disinherited  Christians," 


22  WORLD  S  CONGRESS  ADDRESSES. 

"Blameless  Ignorance,"  and  "Unconscious  Cath- 
olics," won  for  him  and  the  Catholic  Church  hosts  of 
friends,  outside  of  his  own  communion. 

In  America,  the  work  of  his  brother  cardinal.  His 
Eminence  James,  Cardinal  Gibbons,  Honorary  Pres- 
ident of  this  Congress,  has'  been  equally  auspicious. 
His  book  on  "  Our  Christian  Heritage,"  in  which  he 
gladly  holds  out  to  Protestants  the  right  hand  of  fel- 
lowship for  union  against  the  common  foe,  commends 
him  eloquently  to  them  as  well  as  to  his  own  brethren. 

The  burning  words  of  His  Grace  Archbishop  Ire- 
land, in  the  advocacy  of  temperance,  education,  social 
purity  and  every  moral  virtue,  have  made  his  name 
and  Church  household  words  in  many  Protestant 
homes. 

When  a  Catholic  Bishop  like  Bishop  Spalding  of 
Peoria,  speaking  for  Catholics,  says :  "  We  love  lib- 
erty, we  love  knowledge,  we  love  truth,  we  love  oppor- 
tunity; and  forgetting  nationality,  forgetting  sects, 
forgetting  all  but  God's  image  in  every  human  being, 
we  would  uplift  man  by  uplifting  humanity,"  millions 
of  Protestant  hearts  respond  Amen  !     Amen  ! 

But  a  greater  agency  of  union  and  progress  still 
remains  to  be  named,  the  illustrious  head  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church,  Pope  Leo  XIII,  than  whom  no  more  able, 
enlightened  and  benign  pontiff  has  borne  the  name  of 
Holy  Father,  in  a  thousand  years. 

Like  the  morning  bell  of  a  new  age,  his  earnest 


world's  congress  addresses.  23 

words  of  April  19,  1890,  rang  t'hrough  the  American 
republic. 

"  I  have  a  claim  upon  Americans  for  their  respect, 
because  I  love  them  and  I  love  their  country.  I  have 
a  great  tenderness  for  those  who  live  in  that  land, 
Protestants  and  all. 

"Under  the  Constitution  Religion  has  perfect  lib- 
erty, and  is  a  growing  power.  Where  the  Church  is 
free,  it  will  increase ;  and  I  bless,  I  love  Americans 
for  their  frank,  open,  unaffected  character,  and  for  the 
respect  which  they  pay  to  Christianity  and  Christian 
morals. 

"  My  only  desire  is  to  use  my  power  for  the  good 
of  the  whole  people,  Protestants  and  Catholics  alike. 

"I  want  the  Protestants  as  well  as  the  Catholics 
to  esteem  me." 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  Pope  Leo  XIII.  is  respected 
and  beloved  by  the  Protestants  to  whom  these  words 
were  addressed? 

On  the  Protestant  side  similar  causes  have  been  at 
work,  producing  similar  results.  The  time  now  at 
command  will  not  permit  a  presentation  of  those  re- 
sults, but  it  may  suffice  to  say  that  they  have  cul- 
minated in  the  arrangements  for  the  World's  Religious 
Congresses  of  1893. 

Blind,  indeed,  must  be  the  eyes  that  cannot  see  in 
these  events  the  quickened  march  of  the  ages  of 
human  progress  toward  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine 
prophecy  of  "one  fold  and  one  shepherd  ;"  when  all 


24  world's  congress  addresses. 

forms  of  government  shall  be  one  in  liberty  and  jus- 
tice, and  all  forms  of  faith  and  worship  one  in  charity 
and  human  service. 

With  these  sentiments  I   greet  and  welcome  the 
Catholic  Congress  of  1893. 


THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

Descendants  of  the  Puritans  and  the  Pilgrims  : 

I  am  glad  to  meet  and  welcome  you  on  this  auspi- 
cious occasion. 

The  World's  first  Parliament  of  Religions  will 
open  in  this  Hall  on  to-morrow  morning,  and  it  is  a 
graceful  and  fitting  act  for  the  descendants  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers  to  anticipate  that  opening,  and  hail 
the  coming  Parliament  with  words  of  cheer. 

Next  to  October  22,  1492,  on  the  scroll  of  the 
world's  glories,  December  21,  1620,  should  be  in- 
scribed. For,  since  the  Santa  Maria  bore  Christopher 
Columbus  to  the  New  World,  no  more  important 
voyage  has  been  made  by  any  ship  than  that  on  which 
the  Mayflower  bore  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  to  the  land- 
ing-place of  Plymouth  Rock. 

This  ship  brought  to  the  New  World  little  in  the 
form  of  material  wealth,  but  it  was  richly  laden  with 
the  seeds' of  liberty  and  justice,  which,  sowed  in  the 
fruitful  American  soil,  have  produced  during  the  suc- 
ceeding generations  such  harvests  of  Civil  and  Reli- 
gious Liberty  as  have  not  been  surpassed  by  those 
gathered  elsewhere  in  all  the  world. 


26  world's  congress  addresses. 

We  do  not  judge  a  tree  by  its  form,  or  bark,  or 
leaf,  but  by  its  fruit.  We  do  not  judge  any  Church 
by  the  words  of  its  creed,  nor  by  the  perversion  of  its 
doctrines  through  accident,  misfortune  or  malice,  but 
by  its  general  influence  on  those  who  receive  and  try 
to  follow  its  faith. 

Wherever,  throughout  the  great  Republic,  the  chil- 
dren of  the  Pilgrim  and  the  Puritan  have  gone,  the 
flowers  of  the  highest  culture  have  sprung  up  in  their 
foot-steps.  Wherever  they  have  made  their  homes, 
cultivated  farms  or  builded  towns,  the  highest  domes- 
tic virtues  have  been  conspicuous  ;  piety,  peace  and 
good  order  have  flourished ;  and  education,  both  for 
the  common  people  and  its  higher  forms,  has  been  a 
dominant  power. 

The  Congregational  Church  represents  the  Town 
Meeting  in  Civilised  Government,  and  the  Free  Con- 
gregation in  the  Church.  The  Town  Meeting  is  the 
nursery  of  the  Republic  ;  and  the  Church  which  is  the 
spiritual  life  and  guide  of  this  nursery  is  the  means  by 
which  the  Divine  Providence  of  God  has  elevated  this 
Primary  Council  of  the  people  for  the  purposes  of 
good  government,  from  a  sordid  strife  for  leadership 
to  an  almost  sacred  college  of  preparation  for  the 
highest  duties  of  Christian  citizenship. 

Thus  the  Congregational  Church  occupies  a  pecu- 
liarly exalted  and  influential  place  in  American  His- 
tory. It  stands  on  Plymouth  Rock,  a  monument  of 
Civil  and  Religious  Liberty  more  glorious  than  the 


world's  congress  addresses.  27 

granite  shaft  which  on  Bunker  Hill  "greets  the  Sun 
at  his  coming." 

Holding  fast  to  liberty  itself,  it  cannot  do  other- 
wise than  insist  upon  the  same  freedom  for  every  other 
religious  body,  to  worship  God  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  conscience. 

Firm  and  steadfast  in  its  championship  of  equal 
rights  and  privileges  for  all  men,  long  may  this  noble 
Church  devote  itself  to  the  work  to  which  God  has 
called  it,  winning  more  and  more  the  love  and  respect 
of  those  who  under  other  forms  of  government  and 
worship,  find  the  inestimable  blessings  of  religion. 

Soon  may  all  the  churches  appreciate  more  fully 
that  each  has  its  own  peculiar  work  to  do,  and  that 
whether  this  work  be  great  or  small,  temporary  or 
continuous,  it  will,  if  earnestly  and  faithfully  per- 
formed, be  wrought  by  the  hand  of  the  Supreme  Ar- 
chitect into  the  imperishable  Temple  of  the  Church 
Universal  and  Divine. 


THE  NEW  JERUSALEM  CHURCH. 

Members  and  Friends  of  the  Church  of  the  Holy 
City,  New  Jerusalem  : 

In  the  name  of  the  Only  Wise  God  our  Saviour, 
who  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  to  Himself, 
and  in  whose  glorified  and  Divine  Humanity  dwellcth 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  I  reverently  bid 
you  welcome. 

The  Church  of  the  Holy  City,  New  Jerusaleni, 
which  comes  tiown  from  God  out  of  heaven,  having 
the  glory  of  God,  and  a  light  like  unto  a  stone  most 
precious,  even  like  a  jasper  stone  clear  as  crystal,  is 
pre-eminently 

THE  CHURCH  OF  RECONCILIATION. 

It  comes  to  reconcile  reason  and  faith  ;  science  and 
religion  ;  miracle  and  law ;  revelation  and  philosophy. 

It  comes  to  reconcile  the  teachings  of  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture and  the  results  of  modern  research  ;  the  apparent 
truths  of  superficial  observation  and  the  real  truths  of 
human  experience;  what  we  know  of  the  spiritual 
world  of  causes  and  our  knowledge  of  the  natural 
world  of  effects. 


WORLD  S  CONGRESS  ADDRESSES  29 

It  comes  to  reconcile  the  duties  of  to-day  and  the 
hopes  of  to-morrow;  the  best  use  of  the  life  that  now 
is  with  the  highest  preparation  for  the  life  that  is  to 
come;  the  warfare  with  evil  and  the  hunger  for  peace; 
the  ministry  of  sorrow  and  the  thirst  for  joy. 

It  comes  to  reconcile  labor  and  capital;  industry 
and  learning;  government  and  liberty;  self-help  and 
the  help  of  others. 

It  comes  to  reconcile  with  each  other  the  contend- 
ing sects  of  Christendom,  and  the  multiform  religious 
systems  of  the  other  parts  of  the  world. 

The  Religion  of  Reconciliation  brings  in  its  right 
hand  the  Word  of  God,  and  in  its  left  the  Divine 
Science  of  the  relation  between  natural  and  spiritual 
things,  by  which,  alone,  that  word  can  be  defended 
and  expounded,  and  only  asks  that  its  teachings  be 
considered  "in  freedom  and  according  to  reason,'' 
and  accepted  so  far  as  they  are  seen  to  be  true. 

The  New  Churchman  loves  the  followers  of  the 
Oriental  religions,  not  only  because  they,  also,  are 
children  of  our  Father  in  Heaven,  and  brothers  with 
spiritual  needs  like  our  own  ;  but  also  because  he  sees 
in  those  religions  the  remains  of  the  divine  symbolism 
through  which  God  talked  with  man  in  the  ancient 
Church. 

He  loves  the  Jew  for  his  belief  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  Testament,  and  because  he  represents 
the  Divine  Law  and  Prophecy. 

He  loves  the  Catholics,  because  they  represent  the 


30  world's  congress  addresses. 

supremacy  of  faith  and  the  sovereignty  of  the  Church 
Universal. 

He  loves  the  Lutherans,  because  they  represent 
the  great  principle  of  Personal  IJesponsibility  to  God, 
and  the  necessity  of  self-examination  and  judgment 
according;  to  the  divine  law. 

He  loves  the  Congregationalists,  because  they  are 
the  representatives  of  Religious  Liberty  in  opinion 
and  in  worship. 

He  loves  the  Methodists,  because  their  church  is 
the  external  form  of  the  great  religious  movement  of 
the  New  Age. 

He  loves  the  Baptists  because  they  represent  fidel- 
ity to  the  letter  of  the  Holy  Word,  in  which  abides  its 
fulness  and  its  power. 

He  loves  the  Presbyterians  because  they  represent 
the  Divine  Justice  in  the  punishment  of  sin. 

He  loves  the  Universalists  because  they  represent 
the  infinite  love  and  mercy  which  gives  to  every  soul 
all  the  wisdom  and  happiness  it  will  receive. 

He  loves  the  Friends  because  they  teach  the  sim- 
plicity and  purity  of  the  regenerate  life. 

He  loves  the  Episcopalians  because  they  teach  the 
utility  and  beauty  of  established  forms  of  religious  ser- 
vice and  worship. 

He  loves  the  Unitarians  because  they  represent  the 
Unity  of  God  and  the  surpassing  excellence  of  the 
Son  of  Man. 

The  New  Churchman   loves  all  who,  in  any  form 


world's  congress  addresses.  31 

and  in  any  degree,  worship  God  and  strive  to  do  his 
will. 

If  less  favored  than  himself  in  religious  light  and 
knowledge,  all  the  more  they  need  his  sympathy  and 
help.  V 

So  believing,  the  responsibilities  and  duties  of  the 
New  Churchman  are  greater  and  more  serious  than 
those  of  the  disciples  of  any  other  faith.  When  he 
claims  a  better  light,  he  acknowledges  higher  obli- 
gations. 

It  is  the  mission  of  the  New  Churchman  to  show 
that  the  faith  of  the  New  Church  is,  indeed,  "the 
Religion  of  Common  Sense;"  and  that  "all  Religion 
has  relation  to  life,  and  the  life  of  religion  is  to  do 
good." 

The  New  Churchman  must  be  cosmopolitan. 
Wherever,  in  all  the  world,  God  is  worshipped  and 
man  is  loved,  the  New  Churchman  should  feel  at  home, 
able  to  sympathise,  and  ready  to  help. 

This  Congress  has  been  arranged,  and  the  pro- 
gramme for  it  prepared  by  a  Committee  of  Organisa- 
tion of  which  the  Rev.  Lewis  P.  Mercer  is  Chairman, 
and  a  co-operating  Committee  of  Women  of  which 
Miss  A.  E.  Scammon  is  Chairman.  The  programme 
is  in  every  way  worthy  of  the  great  occasion,  and 
shows  how  ably  and  diligently  the  committee  have 
done  their  work. 

I  will  only  add,  in  conclusion,  my  humble  and 
earnest  acknowledgment  of  the  Divine  Providence  of 


32  world's  congress  addresses. 

the  Lord  to  whom  we  are  all  indebted  for  both  the 
idea  and  the  realisation  of  the  World's  Congresses  of 
1893. 

I  have  now  the  pleasure  of  presenting  Rev.  Mr. 
Mercer  as  Presiding  Officer  of  the  New  Church  Con- 
gress. 


THE  REFORMED  PROTESTANT  EPIS- 
COPAL CHURCH. 

Officers  and  Members  of  the  Congress  of  the  Re- 
formed Protestant  Episcopal  Church  : 

Through  the  Divine  Mercy  I  was,  for  a  considerable 
number  of  years,  affiliated  v/ith  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  became  familiar  with  its  noble  and 
impressive  service.  In  that  connection,  I  often  re- 
gretted the  non-extension  of  the  leading  features  of 
its  solemn  and  beautiful  ritual  to  other  families  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  lamented  the  existence  of  the 
barrier  of  non-intercourse  which  seemed  to  me  the 
chief  obstacle  to  such  extension. 

Hence,  when  what  is  known  as  the  Reform  Move- 
ment in  that  Church  finally  resulted  in  the  organisa- 
tion of  the  Reformed  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  I 
was  deeply  impressed  with  the  idea  that  the  Divine 
Providence  had  favored  and  guided  the  movement  to 
make  it  a  means  of  greater  harmony  and  unity  be- 
tween the  different  branches  of  the  great  Christian 
Brotherhood ;  another  bridge  over  which  those  of 
somewhat  different  faith  and  forms,  agreeing  never- 
theless in  all  the  essential  verities  of  religion,  could 
pass  and  repass,  with  many  mutual  benefits. 


34  world's  congress  addresses. 

That  this  idea  was  not  without  adequate  founda- 
tion has  since  been  apparent  in  many  ways.  In  many 
of  the  other  churches,  something  of  the  Episcopal  or- 
der of  service  and  worship  has  found  a  place,  to  the 
great  delight  of  their  congregations.  The  participation 
of  the  people  in  the  church  services  has  become  com- 
mon in  many  of  the  Protestant  denominations. 

Thus  the  influence  of  the  movement  which  this 
Congress  represents  has  proved  strongly  promotive  of 
that  coming  unity  and  glory  of  the  Church  Universal 
foretold  by  the  Divine  Shepherd  of  human  souls;  and 
thus  the  Reformed  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  con- 
stitutes a  connecting  link  between  the  English  Church 
and  the  various  other  Protestant  bodies. 

I  therefore  rejoice  to  meet  you  on  this  occasion, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary  of 
the  World's  Columbian  Exposition,  bid  you  welcome. 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

Representatives  of  the  Great  Reformation: 

I  am  happy  to  meet  and  welcome  you  on  the  oc- 
casion of  the  opening  of  your  Congress  for  the  presen- 
tation to  the  Religious  World  of  the  characteristic 
doctrines  of  your  faith,  and  the  achievements  which 
the  Lutheran  Church  has  made  in  the  service  of  man. 

The  Lutheran  Church  has  had  conspicuous  recog- 
nition in  the  arrangements  for  the  World's  Congresses 
of  1893.  No  less  than  four  separate  assignm.ents  have 
been  made  for  this  Church  during  the  time  to  be  oc- 
cupied by  the  World's  first  Parliament  of  Religions. 
September  2nd,  3rd,  nth,  and  14th  are  Lutheran  days. 

As  the  Lutheran  Church  was  raised  up  in  the  order 
of  Divine  Providence  to  exemplify  and  emphasise  the 
great  doctrine  of  Personal  Responsibility  to  God,  and 
therefore  stands  as  the  special  representative  of  indi- 
vidualism in  religious  life,  solemnly  exercising  self- 
judgment  according  to  the  laws  of  righteousness,  it  is 
not  at  all  unnatural  that  this  spirit  of  individualism 
led  to  the  division  of  this  branch  of  the  Church  Uni- 
versal into  different  organisations  holding  the  same 
general  faith,  but  dividing  on  minor  points.      But  to 


36  world's  congress  addresses. 

the  rest  of  the  religious  world,  the  Lutheran  Church 
is  one ;  and  its  divisions  only  convenient  arrangements 
of  its  spiritual  forces  for  the  conduct  of  the  Religious 
warfare  against  sin  and  iniquity  in  all  their  varied 
forms. 

The  especial  object  of  the  Lutheran  Church  Con- 
gresses of  1893  is  to  make  the  faith  and  history  of 
this  Church  better  known  than  they  have  been  to  the 
world  at  large.  Ignorance  is  everywhere  the  mother 
of  prejudice  and  misunderstanding.  To  bring  the  va- 
rious Churches  of  the  world  into  such  a  relation  lo 
each  other  that  they  may  know  the  truth  about  each 
other,  and  that  this  truth  may  make  them  free  from 
misunderstanding  and  prejudice,  is  the  especial  aim 
of  the  Religious  Congresses  of  1893.  We  desire  that 
the  noble  history  and  achievements  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  be  better  known  to  the  world  at  large,  and 
especially  to  the  great  American  people,  than  they 
have  hitherto  been,  and  trust  that  the  present  Con- 
gress will  do  much  to  realise  that  desire. 

In  this  auspicious  year  of  grace,  the  different 
churches  come  together,  not  to  see  how  many  points 
they  can  discover  on  which  they  differ,  but  how  many 
they  can  find  on  which  they  agree.  And  if  there 
should  prove  to  be  so  many  points  of  harmony  and 
co-operation  that  there  will  be  no  time  to  consider 
grounds  of  discord,  we  shall  have  a  new  occasion  to 
chant  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  Peace  on  earth. 
Good  will  to  men  !  " 


world's  congress  addresses.  37 

There  are  two  great  forces  in  the  universe  which, 
guided  by  the  Divine  hand,  work  in  perfect  harmony, 
making  forever  the  marvellous  music  of  the  spheres. 
These  two  forces  are  also  active  in  human  society; 
but,  guided  by  finite  intelligence,  they  do  not  always 
keep  within  their  proper  limits,  but  strive  with  each 
other  for  the  mastery.  The  first  of  these  forces  holds 
all  things  to  the  center  and  preserves  the  integrity  of 
the  system.  The  second  is  the  power  of  progress,  and 
keeps  the  system  in  perpetual  motion.  If  the  former 
is  excessive,  it  causes  inaction.  If  the  latter  becomes 
dominant,  it  leads  to  disorder  and  disintegration. 

So  when,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  man  had  come 
to  depend  too  little  upon  himself  and  too  much  upon 
his  counsellors  and  guides,  God  raised  up  Martin 
Luther  to  teach  man  anew  his  personal  responsibility 
and  duty. 

In  this  providential  work  the  antagonism  to  the 
Catholic  Church  was  apparent  rather  than  real ;  for 
the  whole  tendency  of  the  Lutheran  movement  in 
Christianity  is  to  prepare  the  way  for  a  better,  deeper, 
higher  and  more  powerful  Church  of  the  one  "God 
who  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  to  himself." 

With  these  reflexions  I  give  you,  Officers  and 
Members  of  the  General  Synod  Congress,  a  most  cor- 
dial welcome. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCL\TION. 

Officers  and  Members  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion Congress  : 

As  General  President  of  the  World's  Congresses 
of  1893,  I  welcome  to  this  Hall  of  Washington,  and 
to  all  the  facilities  which  the  World's  Congress  Auxil- 
iary can  extend,  this  congress  of  your  religious  de- 
nomination ;  and  wish  you  the  utmost  harmony  and 
success  in  your  proceedings. 

It  is  with  especial  pleasure  that  I  respond  to  your 
invitation  to  meet  you  on  this  occasion,  for  it  calls 
upon  me  to  emphasise  one  of  the  greatest  benefits 
which  may  be  expected  to  result  from  the  religious 
congresses  of  this  memorable  year,  the  benefit  of  a 
b^ter  acquaintance  between  the  different  religious  de- 
nominations. 

Raised  up  by  the  hand  of  Divine  Providence  to 
minister  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  German  immigrants 
to  the  American  States,  and  their  descendants  and 
neighbors,  your  denomination  has  gone  forward  dur- 
ing the  nineteenth  century,  nobly  and  efficiently  doing 
the  Master's  work  in  the  vineyard  to  which  He  called 
it,  and  yet  this  large  and  able  organisation  of  Chris 


world's  congress  addresses.  39 

tian  workers  is  comparatively  little  known  to  the  gen- 
eral religious  public.  The  same  may  be  said  of  other 
denominations. 

It  is  therefore  most  wise  and  useful  to  bring  these 
various  religious  associations  together  in  fraternal  re- 
lations, not  only  in  the  Union  Congress  which  holds 
its  sessions  under  the  name  of  the  "World's  Parlia- 
ment of  Religions  "  in  the  adjoining  Hall  of  Colum- 
bus, to  discover  what  grounds  of  sympathy  and  co- 
operation may  be  common  to  all  ;  but  also,  as  a  matter 
equally  important,  to  give  to  each  denomination  a 
convenient  opportunity,  in  this  Hall  of  Washington, 
to  declare  to  the  world  its  distinctive  faith,  and  what 
service  it  has  rendered  to  mankind  in  obedience  to 
that  faith.  I  therefore  rejoice  that  you  have  so  heart- 
ily accepted  and  utilised  this  opportunity  to  "let  your 
light  so  shine  before  men,  that  th£y  may  see  your 
good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
Heaven";  and  I  congratulate  you  on  the  large  at- 
tendance, and  the  enthusiastic  interest  by  which  the 
Evangelical  Association  this  day  testifies,  both  its  zeal 
in  the  work  entrusted  to  its  charge,  and  its  sincere 
concern  in  the  great  occasion  in  which  it  has  been 
called  to  participate. 

Let  me  also  congratulate  you  on  the  noble  work  of 
your  Association  in  furtherance  of  the  great  moral 
movements  of  the  age,  such  as  Temperance,  Sunday 
Observance,  and  Civil  and  Religious  Liberty. 

Let  us  "  praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 


40  world's  congress  addresses. 

that  while  preserving  the  substantial  unity  of  His  fol- 
lowers in  the  great  fundamentals  of  religious  faith  and 
life,  He  has  at  the  same  time,  by  His  wonderful  prov- 
idence, created  special  agencies,  \i\ie  your  own,  to 
meet  special  needs,  in  order  that  more  speedily  and 
efficiently  than  would  otherwise  be  practicable,  His 
will  may  be  done  on  earth,  as  it  is  in  Heaven. 

These  Religious  Congresses  cannot  do  otherwise 
than  accomplish  great  good,  by  spreading  abroad 
among  all  classes  of  mankind,  a  better  knowledge  of 
what  God  has  wrought  for  the  deliverance  of  the  world 
from  sin  and  wickedness  in  all  their  forms.  I  am 
glad  that  the  American  public  will  thus  become  better 
acquainted  with  the  character  and  work  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association. 

I  have  now  the  pleasure  of  presenting  to  you  the 
Presiding  Officer  of  this  meeting,  the  Rev.  G.  C.  Kno- 
bel,  who  will  address  you  with  further  words  of  wel- 
come. 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH. 

Officers  and  Members  of  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  Congress  : 

Man  at  last  takes  his  position  in  the  world  as  man. 
Every  true  man  consists  of  character  and  virtue  and 
intelligence  and  deeds.  Whatever  may  be  the  external 
appearance  of  the  man,  whatever  may  be  his  garb  or 
the  color  of  his  skin,  if  his  heart  does  not  contain  the 
human  qualities  of  virtue,  if  his  mind  be  not  clothed 
with  intelligence,  he  is  not  truly  a  man. 

The  meaning  of  this  African  Congress  is  broader 
than  your  denomination,  and  assumes  a  significance 
before  the  world  greater  than  can  readily  be  compre- 
hended. For  Africa  In  America  is  the  hope  of  Africa 
throughout  the  whole  world.  During  the  coming  gen- 
erations, more  and  more  bright,  and  more  and  more 
full  of  meaning  and  encouragement,  will  shine  in  his- 
tory, the  pages  on  which  are  recorded  the  experiences 
of  the  African  race  in  the  United  States  of  America. 

Every  sorrow  which  your  race  has  suffered  in  this 
country,  every  agony  you  have  borne,  every  privation 
you  have  endured,  shall  yet  be  repaid  to  your  race  in 


42  world's  congress  addresses. 

the  Dark  Continent  a  myriad-fold  in  the  blessings 
which  shall  follow  your  experience  in  the  New  World. 
This  is  not  the  first  or  only  instance  in  which  the  hand 
of  Providence  has  been  seen  in  the  affliction  of  a  peo- 
ple. The  history  of  the  world  has  many  such  exam 
pies,  but  yours  seems  to  me  one  of  peculiar  signifl 
cance  and  hope  for  all  the  millions  of  your  race. 

One  other  thought  I  feel  should  be  expressed.  It 
is  the  tribute  of  the  other  races  of  mankind,  appro- 
priately given  on  this  occasion,  to  the  deep  religious 
character  of  the  African  race.  To  this  race,  faith  and 
hope  and  prayer  are  as  natural  as  the  desire  for  the 
food  which  the  kind  hand  of  Providence  gives  to  sus- 
tain the  bodily  life.  No  more  touching  a  chapter  can 
be  found  in  the  history  of  the  African  race  than  that 
which  will  record  the  religious  experiences  of  that 
race  in  America.  If  an  encyclopaedia  could  be  com- 
piled in  which  the  religious  experiences  of  the  African 
race,  so  nobly  represented  in  this  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  Congress,  could  be  recorded,  I  do 
not  hesitate  to  say  that  it  would  be  found  of  fascinat- 
ing interest  to  all  the  other  races  of  mankind.  How- 
ever the  master  of  the  colored  man  in  the  days  of 
slavery  doubted  the  divine  power  of  inspiration,  the 
negro  heart  always  received  that  inspiration  and  re- 
sponded in  faith  and  prayer.  The  master  might  stum- 
ble over  the  supposed  contradictions  and  inconsisten- 
cies of  Holy  Writ ;  but  not  he  who  patiently  served, 
hoping  for  the  shining  future  of  a  to-morrow,  in  which 


world's  congress  addresses.  43 

liberty,  such  as  you  enjoy  this  day,  would  reward  his 
prayers. 

One  closing  tribute  let  me  pay  to  this  African  race 
for  its  marvellous  fidelity  to  the  obligations  of  duty 
under  whatever  trying  circumstances,  under  whatever 
persecutions  arid  wrongs.  It  avails  nothing  that  you 
see  here  and  there  one  of  a  race  who  seems  regardless 
of  the  obligations  of  law  and  duty.  We  judge  the 
race  as  a  whole.  We' judge  white  men  and  black  men 
and  yellow  men  all  by  what  the  race  as  a  whole 
achieves,  not  by  what  one  or  a  few  may  do  or  leave 
undone. 

With  this  expression  of  sentiments  deemed  appro- 
priate to  this  occasion,  I  close  my  words  of  greeting, 
and  wish  you,  in  the  Congress  you  are  about  to  hold, 
the  highest  success  which  a  kind  Providence  can  be- 
stow. 


THE  YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN 
ASSOCIATIONS. 

Officers  and  Members  of  Young  Men's  Christian 
Associations  : 

In  behalf  of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary,  1 
greet  you  and  bid  you  a  cordial  welcome  to  the  Con- 
gress in  which  you  have  come  to  take  part.  The  im- 
portance of  this  assembly  depends,  like  that  of  many 
others  in  the  World's  Congress  series,  on  its  repre- 
sentative character  and  the  importance  of  its  proceed- 
ings rather  than  on  the  magnitude  of  its  numbers. 
There  has  been  an  exceedingly  interesting  contrast 
presented  during  the  exposition  season,  between  Con- 
gresses of  the  greatest  importance  composed  of  com- 
paratively small  numbers,  and  Congresses  of  equal 
importance  composed  of  very  large  numbers.  The 
vital  thing,  however,  in  every  Congress  is  the  charac- 
ter and  quality  of  its  proceedings. 

The  principal  aim  of  all  these  Congresses  is  to 
bring  here  the  maturest  thought  of  the  world  on  the 
great  questions  to  be  considered,  and  to  have  those 
thoughts  expressed  by  leaders  from  all  countries,  and 
afterwards  suitably  preserved  in  adequate  publica- 
tions. 


world's  congress  addresses.  45 

That  we  are  living  in  a  new  age  of  intelligence 
and  progress,  all  thoughtful  persons  may  readily  per- 
ceive. All  things  are  being  made  new,  and  you  may 
search  throughout  the  world  and  fail  to  find  an  insti- 
tution or  movement  which  does  not  in  some  way  show 
the  influence  of  the  new  spirit  that  has  gone  forth 
"conquering  and  to  conquer." 

It  is  remarkable  that  we  are  not  making  a  great 
variety  of  new  things,  but  are  making  the  old  things 
new,  according  to  the  prophecy.  Even  the  Divine 
Master  is  presented  in  new  aspects,  and  with  a  new 
glory.  The  Cross  of  Calvary  is  transfigured,  and  pre- 
sents to  the  world  the  King  of  Kings  and  the  Lord  of 
Lords,  leading  every  department  of  righteous  activity 
to  higher  fields  of  progress. 

A  new  and  potent  influence  is  in  the  world  impel- 
ling mankind  to  the  service  of  others.  He  who  reads 
human  history  attentively  will  not  need  to  go  very  far 
back  to  find  the  time  when  the  ruling  spirit  of  the 
world  was  self-service  and  self-advancement,  self-pro- 
motion and  self-gain.  There  are  some  exceptions  to 
this  new  rule,  but  the  general  spirit  of  the  new  age  is 
essentially  the  spirit  of  helping  others,  and  thereby 
helping  one's  self  and  one's  own. 

While  this  wonderful  movement  is  going  forward, 
dogmas  about  the  Master  disappear,  and  a  supreme 
faith  in,  and  obedience  to,  the  Master  and  his  words 
takes  the  place  of  dogmas  concerning  Him.  Theories 
about  the  divine  things  have  rarely  more  than  a  faint 


46  world's  congress  addresses. 

reflexion  of  the  luminous  vitality  of  the  divine  things 
themselves.  The  new  age  is  coming  more  and  more 
to  realise  that  the  essential  means  by  which  we  may 
advance  in  the  service  of  God  and  of  man,  is  to  keep 
the  Divine  Image  always  in  the  heart  and  obey  His 
words.    Not  to  argue  about  Him,  but  to  obey  Him. 

The  marvellous  advances  in  material  things  which 
are  so  magnificently  displayed  in  the  World's  Fair, 
and  whose  wonders,  voiced  on  every  hand,  are  worthy 
of  so  much  and  such  exalted  praise,  are  matched  in 
every  respect  by  an  equally  marvellous  spiritual  pro- 
gress which  you  come  to  celebrate,  and  of  which  you 
are  a  part.  All  the  departments  of  human  activity 
feel  the  power  of  this  spiritual  progress. 

The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  was 
brought  into  the  world  by  the  Divine  Providence  for 
the  purpose  of  presenting  anew  to  the  rising  genera- 
tions of  the  world  the  old  ideal  of  the  Christ-life  in 
obedience  to  the  two  great  commandments.  The  spe- 
cific work  which  it  seems  to  me  this  organisation  of 
yours  was  created  to  perform  is  the  presentation  to 
the  youth  of  the  world,  of  the  ideal  of  lofty  and  self- 
denying  service ;  and  the  realisation  of  that  ideal  by 
actually  putting  into  practice  the  Divine  command- 
ments. 

But  this  movement  does  not  stand  alone.  The 
time  at  command  would  not  suffice  to  present  all  the 
various  forms  in  which  the  new  spirit  has  made  itself 
manifest,  but  two  or  three  may  well  be  mentioned  : 


world's  congress  addresses.  47 

» 

one  is  known  as  University  Extension  which  makes 
the  masters  in  the  highest  institutions  of  learning 
burn  with  an  unquenchable  zeal  to  go  out  among  the 
people  and  give  away  their  treasures  of  knowledge 
and  wisdom,  and  stimulate  the  masses  to  make  pro- 
gress in  intellectual  culture. 

Side  by  side  with  that  movement  is  that  which 
produces  the  Social  Settlement,  in  which  the  highest 
life  of  Christian  civilisation  is  lived  in  the  midst  of 
the  people  who  would  otherwise  have  been  without 
its  blessings,  thus  teaching  them  by  living  example, 
and  instructing  them  by  actual  contact,  in  the  leading 
principles  of  our  civilisation  and  religious  progress. 

Co-operation  and  profit-sharing  are  preparing  to 
take  the  place,  under  the  same  divine  influence,  of 
the  deadly  strife  of  destructive  competition  with  half- 
paid  and  reluctant  toil. 

Moral  and  Social  Reform  also  comes  with  all  these 
other  movements,  seeking  to  relieve  the  sorrows  of 
mankind,  and  to  substitute  measures  of  reformation 
and  relief  for  penalties  and  punishments. 

Two  great  departments  still  await  the  influence  of 
this  living  power.  The  world  of  politics  and  the  world 
of  society  alike  stand  waiting  for  this  active  power 
which  has  done  such  wonders  in  other  fields,  and 
which  will  in  due  time  reform  and  regenerate  them 
as  other  departments  have  been  regenerated  and  re- 
formed.     In  the  last  words  of  Sybil,  his  most  impor- 


48  world's  congress  addresses. 

tant  political  novel,  Lord  Beaconsficld,  as  you  will 
remember,  says : 

"The  youth  of  a  nation  are  the  trustees  of  poster- 
ity." 

This  may  well  serve  as  a  motto  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association.  For  you  are  to  deal 
with  the  youth  of  each  country,  the  youth  of  the 
world,  and  teach  them  that  they  are  indeed  the  trus- 
tees of  posterity. 

In  that  noble  work,  I  bid  you  God-speed,  and  re- 
new my  welcome. 

I  have  now  the  pleasure  of  presenting  to  you  as 
your  presiding  officer  Mr.  Albert  B.  Monroe,  who  will 
conduct  the  remaining  business  of  your  Congress.  I 
have  long  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing  him,  and  to 
know  him  is  to  love  and  esteem  him.  I  would  be  glad 
if  my  other  duties  would  allow  me  to  remain  and  hear 
your  papers  and  discussions,  but  that  is  impossible. 
I  shall  be  with  you,  however,  in  my  best  hopes  and 
wishes  for  your  success. 


THE  FREE  RELIGIOUS  ASSOCIA- 
TION. 

Friends  of  Religious  Liberty  : 

As  General  President  of  the  World's  Congresses 
of  1893,  I  welcome  you  to  your  place  in  the  great  se- 
ries of  denominational  congresses  which  are  in  course 
of  presentation  here  during  the  present  month.  We 
are,  perhaps,  in  some  danger  of  underrating  the  im- 
portance of  these  Denominational  Congresses  in  com- 
parison with  the  World's  Parliament  of  Religions, 
which  is  holding  its  sessions  in  the  adjoining  Hall  of 
Columbus.  These  denominational  congresses  con- 
serve the  forces  which  made  that  parliament  possible; 
these  denominational  congresses  support  and  uphold 
it ;  and  if  they  had  not  entered  into  the  scheme  the 
parliament  itself  could  not  have  attained  anything  like 
the  success  which  now  crowns  its  endeavors. 

The  programme  of  a  congress  which  bears  upon 
its  pages  the  names  of  a  Catholic  priest,  a  Jewish 
Rabbi,  a  Unitarian  minister,  and  other  representatives 
of  other  forms  of  faith,  as  does  yours,  naturally  at- 
tracts attention  and  commands  respect. 

It  is  the  glory  of  your  movement  that  you  were 
among    the   earliest    to  perceive    the   coming   of   the 


5©  world's  congress  addresses. 

auspicious  day,  in  whose  broad  sunlight  we  are  now 
assembled.  This  association  of  yours  represents,  as 
I  understand  it,  three  things  :  First,  Religious  Lib- 
erty,— the  liberty  of  religion  ;  not  merely  the  liberty 
of  man  to  pursue  his  own  religion,  to  entertain  his 
own  views  unmolested,  but  the  liberty  of  religion  it- 
self, that  all  may  move  and  act  freely  and  intelligently 
in  the  relation  between  creature  and  the  Creator  for 
which  religion  stands. 

And  the  second  thing  which  your  association  rep- 
resents, as  I  understand  it,  is  Religious  Toleration. 
This  is  something  for  which  the  world  waited  many 
centuries, — that  one  religion  should  merely  tolerate 
another.  Toleration! — it  is  a  great  word,  it  is  a  won- 
derful thing,  when  it  first  comes  to  take  the  place  of 
intolerance,  hostility,  opposition,  and  persecution. 
When  we  first  come  to  the  borderland  of  liberty, 
where  toleration  of  the  Catholic  means  toleration  of 
the  Baptist,  and  the  Quaker,  and  all  the  other  forms 
of  faith, — that  all  should  all  tolerate  one  another,  then 
toleration  appears  and  is  a  marvellous  advance. 

But  toleration  is  merely  a  foundation  upon  which 
to  stand  for  future  progress.  We  want,  in  the  third 
place,  what  I  take  to  be  the  supreme  end  and  object 
of  your  organisation,  a  substitute  for  toleration, 
namely,  Religious  Fraternity:  that  the  Swedenborgian 
and  the  Unitarian  shall  love  the  Catholic,  and  the 
Presbyterian,  and  the  Baptist,  because  they  all  repre- 
sent in  some  form  and  degree  the  search  after  the  di- 


world's  congress  addresses.  51 

vine.  When  we  come  to  substitute  love  for  tolerance, 
then  we  are  indeed  making  progress  toward  the  goal 
of  true  religion. 

What  are  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  realisa- 
tion of  these  grand  objects  of  liberty,  tolerance,  and 
fraternity?  They  spring  mainly  from  ignorance.  We 
think  that  objects  seen  in  the  distance  and  but  dimly 
perceived,  and  of  which  we  really  know  nothing,  are 
probably  hideous  monsters  waiting  to  leap  upon  us 
and  devour  us ;  but  we  find  when  we  approach  them 
and  discern  their  features,  that  they  are  forms  of  use 
and  beauty  which  attract  and  delight.  And  so  the  re- 
ligious denominations  need  only  to  know  more  of  each 
other,  to  find  that  worship  of  God,  fraternity,  love, 
and  sincerity  are  the  mainsprings  of  them  all,  to  lead 
them  to  substitute  love  for  fear  of  one  another.  Ig- 
norance is  usually  accompanied  by  prejudice,  and  pre- 
judice breeds  hostility  and  opposition. 

One  thing  more  I  will  say  before  I  close  these 
welcoming  words.  He  who  really  believes  in  the  su- 
periority of  his  own  religion,  cannot  by  any  possibility 
fear  to  have  that  religion  come  into  contact  with  other 
forms  of  worship, — cannot  by  any  possibility  fear  to 
put  himself  side  by  side  with  those  who  profess  other 
forms  of  faith,  because  the  moment  he  does  so  fear, 
he  confesses  in  his  heart,  if  not  by  his  words,  his 
doubt  and  distrust  in  regard  to  his  own  religion,  his 
uncertainty  concerning  his  own  faith.  If  I  believe 
that  in  Jesus  Christ  there  is  all  the  life  and  hope  and 


52  world's  congress  addresses. 

saving  power  for  mankind,  must  I  not  most  ardently 
desire  to  have  Him  put  side  by  side  with  every  other 
apostle  of  light  and  truth  whom  the  world  has  ever 
seen,  believing  as  I  must  do  in  such  a  case,  that  only 
this  need  be  done  to  show  his  surpassing  excellence 
and  beauty?  And  so  must  the  disciple  of  every  other 
religion  feel ;  and  hence  the  most  natural  thing,  the 
most  rational  thing  in  religious  life,  is  a  fraternity  of 
religions.  And  as  God  is  and  ever  must  be  highest  in 
the  universe,  must  always  occupy  the  supreme  place 
in  the  mind,  so  religion,  if  it  be  anything  at  all,  must 
occupy  the  supreme  place,  under  God,  in  the  human 
soul. 

With  these  words  of  welcome,  and  this  expression 
of  the  feelings  which  I  have  toward  you,  I  renew  my 
welcome,  and  wish  you  God-speed  in  every  endeavor 
to  spread  abroad  a  knowledge  of  your  organisation, 
and  to  hasten  forward  the  day  when  all  mankind  shall 
be  one  in  the  worship  of  God  and  the  service  of  man. 

I  now  have  the  pleasure  of  presenting  to  you  Col. 
Thomas  Wentworth  Higginson,  the  presiding  officer 
of  this  congress,  who  will  address  you. 


ETHICS. 

Officers,    Members,   and  Friends  of  the   Ethical 
Congress  : 

These  words  of  welcome  which  I  speak  to  you  in 
the  name  of  the  organisation  which  I  represent,  are 
more  than  formal  courtesies.  The  new  Science  of 
Ethics  comes  at  such  a  time  and  to  perform  such  a 
work,  that  it  is  entitled  to  special  recognition  in  a 
series  of  World's  Congresses,  and  surely,  never  since 
the  first  ethical  convention  was  convened  has  one  been 
assembled  under  circumstances  more  auspicious  and 
appropriate  than  your  own. 

The  great  Parliament  of  Religions,  standing  like  a 
mountain-peak  alone  in  its  glory,  closed  its  last  ses- 
sion but  a  day  or  two  before  yours  were  called  to  com- 
mence. It  is  the  peculiar  province  of  Ethical  Science 
to  select  out  of  all  the  religions  of  the  world,  out  of 
the  universal  experience  of  mankind,  those  common 
and  fundamental  rules  of  life  which  express  the  con- 
sensus of  human  opinion  in  regard  to  what  is  good 
and  what  is  evil,  what  should  be  done  and  what  should 
be  avoided. 

So  constituted  are  human  minds  that  they  have  al- 


54  world's  congress  addresses. 

ways  differed  and  will  always  continue  to  differ  greatly 
in  their  opinions  of  what  is  truth  or  right.  The  differ- 
ent views  which  human  beings  take  of  the  same  sub- 
ject, their  relations,  the  circumstances,  the  environ- 
ment, will  always  more  or  less  influence  their  opinions. 
But  it  has  pleased  the  Creator  of  man  so  to  constitute 
him  that  there  is  comparatively  little  room  for  differ- 
ences of  opinion  as  to  what  is  good  and  what  is  evil. 

So  when  the  public  opinion  of  tlie  world,  espe- 
cially in  the  domain  of  religion,  had  become  greatly 
divided  from  the  causes  to  which  I  have  made  a  brief 
allusion,  it  pleased  the  Supreme  Being  to  raise  up  a 
new  science,  which  men  have  called  the  Science  of 
Ethics,  to  teach  that  however  men  may  differ  in  their 
opinions,  however  their  creeds  may  vary  and  their 
doctrines  may  diverge,  they  should,  nevertheless,  try 
to  deduce  from  all  the  religions  which  mankind  have 
had,  from  all  the  systems  of  faith  and  morals  which 
they  now  entertafn,  from  the  sum  of  human  experi- 
ence in  different  climes  and  among  different  races, 
certain  well-defined  rules  of  human  conduct  upon 
which  all  men  agree,  and  by  which  they  shall  be,  to 
that  extent,  united. 

•Thus  it  seems  to  me  that  the  apostles  of  the  Sci- 
ence of  Ethics  are  entitled  to  unusual  consideration. 
Ethics  may  indeed  prove  to  be  the  forerunner  of  that 
final  union  of  mankind  in  the  substatitial  performance 
of  the  practical  obligations  of  man  to  his  Maker  and 
to  his  fellow  men  which  we  now  think  we  foresee  and 


world's  congress  addresses.  55 

herald  ;  a  union  which  will  properly  respect  individual 
distinctions  and  differences,  and  the  distinguishing 
'  characteristics  of  different  races  and  systems  of  faith  ; 
and  at  the  same  time  promote  that  fraternity  which 
springs  from  the  heart,  and  which  will  be  a  blessing 
to  all  men  irrespective  of  such  distinctions,  differ- 
ences and  characteristics. 

The  relation  of  Ethics  to  religion,  although  it  has 
been  so  much  emphasised,  is,  however,  by  no  means 
the  only  one  which  this  new  science  has  to  sustain. 
Government  as  well  as  religion  needs  the  influence  of 
this  new  science.  In  this  domain  the  department  of 
Political  Administration  has  suffered  such  a  frightful 
degeneration  for  want  of  proper  ethical  rules  of  con- 
duct and  their  just  observance,  that  it  has  been  held 
more  or  less  in  abhorrence  by  right-minded  men  ;  and 
the  best  and  purest  citizens  have  shrunk  from  polit- 
ical life  because  of  its  degradations  and  corruptions. 
But  the  rules  of  ethical  conduct  should  dominate  the 
whole  political  field,  as  they  should  reign  in  business 
and  in  social  life. 

It  may  therefore  be  said  that  the  greatest  need  of 
our  political  condition  is  the  establishment  of  a  body 
of  ethical  rules  upon  which  all  men,  irrespective  of 
party,  or  creed,  or  race,  or  occupation,  can  agree. 
What  is  good  and  what  is  evil  should  be  as  well  recog- 
nised in  that  domain  as  in  any  other,  and  crimes  should 
not  be  encouraged  or  tolerated  because  they  serve  po- 
litical ends. 


56  world's  congress  addresses. 

Nor  is  this  all.  There  is  a  demand  for  the  influence 
of  Ethics  on  human  society.  Its  frivolities,  its  follies 
and  short-comings,  all  need  the  curative  influence  of 
the  new  medicine  which  Ethics  is  prepared  to  ad- 
minister to  the  body  politic  and  corporate.  If  society 
were  governed  by  the  rules  which  your  organisation 
promulgates  and  seeks  to  establish,  who  can  say  how 
much  it  would  be  exalted  in  its  character,  how  much 
its  influence  would  be  enlarged,  and  how  much  more 
noble  and  beneficial  would  be  the  social  life?  We 
would  not  exclude  or  in  any  degree  diminish  the  in- 
fluence of  religion  ;  we  would  only  add  the  restraints 
and  supports  furnished  by  ethical  science. 

And  there  is  one  other  field  which  should  not  pass 
unnoticed  on  this  occasion.  It  is  the  great  field  of 
the  Business  World  in  which  rages  that  fierce  and 
malignant  strife  for  supremacy  called  "competition." 
Its  leading  maxim  is  that  the  strongest  must  triumph 
and  the  weakest  go  down.  But  this  diabolical  doc- 
trine, under  which  the  best  and  the  highest  must  suc- 
cumb to  force  and  cunning,  with  all  its  vicious  ac- 
companiments, must  give  way  before  the  advance  of 
the  new  Science  of  Ethics  which  is  destined,  with  its 
allies.  Religion  and  Patriotism,  to  conquer  and  trans- 
form the  business  world.  Justice  must  reign  there 
also,  and  justice  means  the  equal  right  of  all  men,  re- 
spect by  each  for  the  rights  of  all.  It  means  that 
sovereignty  of  service  which  is  higher  than  the  sover- 
eignty of  power  ;  and  under  which  all  men,  employers 


world's  congress  addresses.  57 

and  employed,  capitalists  and  producers,  shall  work 
in  harmony,  guided  by  the  principles  which  this  Con- 
gress represents.  Thus  the  business  world  urgently 
needs  your  influence  and  aid.  Was  any  greater  work 
for  practical  reform  ever  presented  to  any  voluntary 
organisation? 

Then  advance  and  conquer  !  till  all  these  depart- 
ments to  which  reference  has  been  made  shall  have 
learned  the  excellence  of  Ethics,  and  be  ready  to  do 
equity.  So  I  bid  3'ou  welcome,  and  bespeak  a  great 
success  in  the  prosecution  of  our  work. 


CHRISTIAN  SCIENCE. 

Officers  and   Members  of  the  Christian  Science 
Congress  : 

As  General  President  of  the  World's  Congresses  of 
1893,  I  salute  you  and  bid  you  welcome. 

This  great  audience,  filling  this  "Hall  of  Wash- 
ington," gives  me  occasion  to  extend  to  you  with  my 
words  of  welcome,  words  of  hearty  congratulation. 

When  Science  becomes  Christian,  then,  indeed, 
the  world  advances  toward  the  millennial  dawn. 

No  more  striking  manifestation  of  the  interposi- 
tion of  Divine  Providence  in  human  affairs  has  been 
seen  in  recent  years,  than  that  shown  in  raising  up 
the  great  organisation  which  you  represent,  and  which 
is  known  by  the  name  of  Christian  Scientists. 

We  had  come  to  a  state  of  the  world  in  which  sci- 
ence was  called  infidel,  although  true  science  could 
never  do  otherwise  than  "look  through  nature  up  to 
nature's  God." 

The  Christian  Scientists  were  therefore  called  to 
declare  and  emphasise  the  real  harmony  between  re- 
ligion and  science  ;  and  to  restore  the  waning  faith  of 
many  in  the  verities  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 


world's  congress  addresses.  59 

This  body  of  Christian  Scientists  will  do  no  harm 
to  any  other  body  of  worshippers  of  the  Living  God, 
and  servants  of  the  brother  man,  anywhere  in  the 
world. 

Catholic  and  Protestant — though  we  may  say  of 
the  Catholic  Church  that  it  has  always  firmly  held 
faith  in  the  supernatural  and  in  the  supremacy  of  the 
divine — Catholic  and  Protestant,  Baptist  and  Presby- 
terian, Methodist  and  Friend,  Unitarian  and  Congre- 
gationalist,  may  all  thank  God  for  the  new  energy  and 
life  contributed  to  the  religious  world,  and  especially 
to  Christendom,  by  the  Christian  Science  movement. 
The  common  idea  that  a  miracle  is  something  which 
has  been  done  in  contravention  of  law  is  to  be  wholly 
rejected.  There  is  not  one  miracle  narrated  in  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  which  was  not  wrought  in  perfect 
conformity  to  the  laws  which  the  divine  Creator  had 
established.  It  is  mere  ignorance  of  those  laws  that 
leads  men  to  think  that  miracles  are  acts  in  contra- 
vention of  them.  To  know  and  understand  the  law, 
is  to  see  that  the  wonder  is  wrought  by  means  of  law, 
and  that  the  miracle  consists  only  in  the  marvellous 
character  of  the  act  which  is  done. 

Who  can  doubt,  after  witnessing  the  tremendous 
events  that  are  now  transpiring  in  our  midst,  that  the 
day  of  miracles  is  as  surely  here  as  it  was  almost  nine- 
teen centuries  ago. 

To  restore  a  living  faith  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer — 
the  fervent  and  effectual  prayer  of  the  righteous  man 


bo  world's  congress  addresses. 

which  availeth  much  ;  to  teach  everywhere  the  su- 
premacy of  spiritual  forces  ;  to  emphasise  the  fact 
that  in  the  presence  of  these  spiritual  forces  all  others 
are  comparatively  weak  and  inefficient, — that  I  under- 
stand to  be  your  mission. 

That  you  may  so  fulfil  this  mission  that  not  only 
all  Christendom,  all  the  great  bodies  to  which  I  have 
referred,  but  the  whole  world  with  all  its  worshippers 
of  God  and  servants  of  man,  may  have  cause  to  rise 
up  and  call  you  blessed,  is  my  sincere  and  fervent 
wish. 

The  world  assembles  here  in  this  great  Columbian 
year  that  its  peoples  and  Churches  may  know  each 
other  better.  You  come  to  make  known  to  the  world 
who  you  are,  what  faith  you  hold,  what  work  you  have 
done,  what  achievements  you  have  made ;  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  to  learn  from  all  the  others  what  work 
they  have  done,  and  what  faith  they  hold,  in  order 
that,  seeing  in  each  other's  faces  the  same  spirit  of 
charity,  and  learning  that  all  are  engaged  in  the  same 
heavenly  service,  you  may  take  new  courage,  finding 
each  other  not  foes,  but  allies. 

Such  is  the  reign  of  peace  which  these  World's 
Congresses  of  1893  were  organised  to  inaugurate, 
which  they  have  indeed  begun,  and  which  they  will 
continue  to  uphold. 

In  closing  I  will  only  renew  my  words  of  welcome, 
and  bid  you  God-speed  in  your  work. 


THE  ARMY  CHAPLAINS. 

Reverend  Ministers  Engaged  in  the  Army  Service: 

It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  welcome  you  on  this 
occasion.  This  meeting  of  Army  Chaplains  represents 
one  of  the  most  important  branches  of  the  military 
service.  The  Army  Chaplain  represents,  in  military 
life,  all  the  differences  between  barbaric  destruction 
and  what  is  called  civilised  warfare.  He  represents 
the  whole  moral  and  religious  duty  of  the  soldier. 

I  have  come  to  entertain  a  fixed  conviction  that 
the  work  of  the  Army  Chaplain  ought  to  be  greatly 
enlarged  and  its  influence  very  much  extended,  and 
that  more  adequate  and  earnest  efforts  should  be 
made  to  develop  in  the  common  soldiers  that  moral 
and  intellectual  excellence  which  the  Army  Chaplain 
represents. 

Under  a  just  government  the  citizen  as  well  as 
the  soldier  must  stand  ready  to  die  for  the  country,  if 
need  shall  require,  and  the  soldier  should  be  not 
merely  a  living  machine,  subject  to  despotic  power, 
but  an  intelligent  and  conscientious  defender  of  jus- 
tice, standing  before  his  country  and  the  world,  a 
man  of  honor  and  a  gentleman. 


Gi  world's  congress  addresses. 

In  the  performance  of  his  duty,  the  soldier  exten- 
sively traverses  the  country,  and  marches  along  the 
frontier.  He  has  special  advantages,  when  not  en- 
gaged in  actual  service,  for  pursuing  those  scientific 
investigations  of  the  earth  and  the  sky  for  which  the 
government  from  time  to  time  sends  out  commissions 
of  trained  and  skilled  experts  to  make  examinations 
and  reports.  The  common  soldier  should  be  much 
better  educated.  He  ought  tO  study  the  stars  when 
he  keeps  guard  by  night,  and  the  geography,  botany, 
and  geology  of  the  fields  when  he  traverses  them  by 
day,  and  thus  store  his  mind  with  knowledge  that 
would  bring  elevated  thoughts  and  emotions,  and 
guard  him  against  the  temptations  to  which  he  is  ex- 
posed. 

The  same  thing  may  be  said  in  regard  to  the  navy. 
Every  man-of-war  wliich  carries  the  United  States 
flag  above  it  ought  to  be  a  floating  academy  in  which 
the  men  whose  home  is  in  it  would  pursue,  in  sub- 
stantially the  same  way,  when  not  otherwise  engaged, 
such  scientific  investigations  as  have  heretofore  been 
conducted  by  independent  expeditions  at  great  ex- 
pense. The  introduction  of  this  principle  into  the 
army  and  navy  would  at  once  require  that  the  sailor 
and  soldier  should  be  of  a  higher  type  than  has 
hitherto  been  deemed  advisable. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  war ;  the  sacred  warfare 
for  the  just  defence  of  home  and  country,  and  the 
barbaric   and  brutal   warfare   of   destruction    for    the 


world's  congress  addresses.  63 

sake  of  conquest.  To  fit  the  soldiers  and  marines  of 
the  United  States  for  the  former,  and  make  them  ab- 
hor the  latter,  is  the  true  work  of  the  army  and  navy 
chaplains.  They  are  the  school-masters  of  the  army 
and  the  navy.  They  should  constantly  endeavor  to 
elevate  and  enlighten  the  soldiers  and  sailors  under 
their  care. 

With  these  sentiments,  I  welcome  you  to  this 
Congress,  and  hope  that  your  gathering  may  be  the 
beginning  of  a  great  and  wide-spread  movement  in 
the  directions  I  have  indicated. 


MISSIONS. 

Officers  and  Members  of  the  World's  Congress  of 
Christian  Missions  : 

Believing  in  the  Divinity  of  the  Lord,  the  Holiness 
of  the  Word,  and  the  life  that  is  called  Charity;  be- 
lieving that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world 
to  Himself,  and  that  in  His  glorified  and  Divine  Hu- 
manity dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  bodily; 
we  cannot  otherwise  than  earnestly  desire  to  extend 
the  knowledge  of  Him  to  every  human  creature 
throughout  the  world. 

It  is  peculiarly  appropriate  that  a  Congress  on 
Missions  should  follow  the  World's  Parliament  of 
Religions  just  closed,  and  in  which  such  wonderful 
events  have  been  witnessed. 

The  first  of  the  Religious  Congresses  held  under 
the  auspices  of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary  was 
that  of  the  Jews.  At  the  request  of  the  Jewish  lead- 
ers I  attended  at  the  opening  session,  and  made  an 
Address  of  welcome.  I  stood  before  them  in  the  char- 
acter of  "as  ultra  and  ardent  a  Christian  as  the  world 
contains."  They  received  my  words  of  welcome  with 
a  respect  and   kindness  which   I  shall   never  forget. 


world's  congress  addresses.  65 

and  during  the  session  extolled  the  man  Christ  Jesus 
in  terms  which  no  Christian  could  hear  without  pro- 
found emotions  of  joy  and  exultation. 

The  next  day  after  this  congress  of  the  Jews  I 
asked  the  eminent  Jewish  Rabbi,  Dr.  Hirsch,  of  this 
city,  to  make  the  opening  invocation  for  the  Con- 
gresses on  Labor  and  on  Social  and  Economic  Sci- 
ence. To  the  delight  of  the  great  assembly  he  closed 
his  invocation  with  a  devout  recital  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  in  which  the  audience  joined. 

It  is  impossible  to  present  the  person  and  the 
character  of  Jesus  Christ  to  any  human  being  in  their 
truth  and  simplicity,  without  winning  some  kindly 
response.  All  we  need  on  the  part  of  Missions  is  the 
wisdom  to  make  the  proper  presentation,  and  then  to 
let  the  light  go  undefiled  into  the  souls  to  which  we 
would  transmit  it. 

The  work  which  missions  have  done  in  the  world 
is,  I  think,  far  from  being  adequately  comprehended. 
There  is  one  work  credited  to  Christian  Missions, 
which,  if  it  stood  alone,  would  of  itself  justify  all  the 
expenditure  of  life  and  of  treasure  which  has  been  in- 
volved; which  would  alone  answer  and  atone  for  all 
the  mistakes  and  shortcomings  with  which  missionaries 
have  ever  been  charged  ;  and  that  is  the  translation  of 
the  Sacred  Scriptures  into  three  hundred  and  fifty  of 
the  languages  and  dialects  of  mankind.  After  all, 
this  is  the  greatest  work  of  missions ;  for  where  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 


66  world's  congress  addresses. 

go,  they  speak  their  own  divine  messages  to  the  hu- 
man heart,  and  the  more  purely  and  simply  these 
messages  can  be  conveyed,  the  more  sure  will  be  the 
results  that  will  follow.  Without  a  translation  of 
these  Scriptures  into  the  other  languages  of  the  earth, 
little  progress  could  have  been  made  towards  that 
unity  of  mankind,  social,  moral,  and  religious,  for 
which  now  the  whole  world  longs  and  hopes. 

One  thing  which  a  Congress  of  Missions  should 
bear  in  mind  is  the  universality  of  the  idea  of  the  sal- 
vation of  man  by  God  incarnate  in  a  Divine  Human- 
ity. This  was  the  dream  of  the  human  race  from 
Eden  to  Bethlehem,  and  has  ever  since  been  the  hope 
and  the  light  of  the  world.  This  salvation  is,  there- 
fore, a  most  natural  thing  to  proclaim,  and  a  most 
rational  thing  to  receive,  and  constitutes  a  universal 
basis  for  the  unity  and  the  brotherhood  of  man.  We 
should  remember  what  Paul  says  of  the  Gentiles  who 
have  "the  law  written  in  their  hearts,"  and  should 
bear  in  mind  that  through  this  law  they  may  be 
reached  and  saved  by  "the  Only  Wise  God  our  Sa- 
viour." 

The  true  aim  of  the  missionary  societies  of  the 
world  is  to  extend  throughout  the  whole  earth  a 
knowledge  of  this  Divine  Person  and  his  teachings, 
in  order  that  all  men  may  be  brought  under  their  in- 
fluence. 

That  is  first,  we  are  told,  which  is  natural,  and 
afterwards  that  which  is  spiritual,  and  hence  the  mis- 


world's  congress  addresses.  67 

sionary  must  not  be  only  a  spiritual  teacher,  but  he 
must  also  be  wise  in  natural  things.  Many  mistakes 
have  been  made  from  a  lack  of  the  last-named  wis- 
dom. To  deal  with  the  entire  man,  with  the  entire 
state  of  society,  in  order  that  the  man  and  society 
may  be  conformed  in  things  natural  as  well  as  in 
things  spiritual  to  the  divine  ideal,  is  the  true  work 
of  the  missionary. 

With  these  reflexions,  and  this  indication  of  what 
seems  to  me  to  be  the  spirit  of  the  cause  in  which 
you  are  engaged,  I  bid  you  Officers  and  Members  of 
the  World's  Missionary  Congress  of  1893,  the  heart- 
iest and  most  sincere  welcome.  God  speed  you  in 
the  work  which  you  are  about  to  do.  I  trust  that  all 
of  these  friends  from  other  countries  will  go  away  to 
their  own  lands  bearing  messages  of  love  and  affection 
from  you  to  their  own  people ;  that  they  may  go 
hence  full  of  burning  sentiments  of  love  and  faith, 
kindled  by  your  gracious  words,  to  be  missionaries 
from  you  to  their  far-off  kin. 

The  greatest  obstacle  in  the  progress  of  missions 
arises,  I  think  we  may  safely  say,  from  human  en- 
deavors to  improve  the  divine.  The  mission-school 
and  other  similar  institutions  abundantly  prove  that 
the  more  purely  and  simply  the  divine  person  and 
character  of  the  founder  of  Christianity  are  presented 
to  the  human  mind,  the  more  readily  the  message  is 
received ;  that  His  words  have  in  them  a  vital  and 
penetrating  power  which  merely  human  language  can 


68  world's  congress  addresses. 

never  supply;  and  that  the  story  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, read  or  told  to  human  hearts,  is  its  own  best 
and  most  powerful  interpreter. 

Another  great  obstacle  to  the  success  of  Christian 
Missions  has  been  the  want  of  a  wise  adaptation  of 
means  to  ends.  The  great  apostle  declared  his  readi- 
ness to  be  all  things  to  all  men  so  that  he  might  win 
them  to  Christ,  but  modern  missionaries  have  been 
slow  to  follow  his  great  example.  It  is  a  fundamental 
and  eternal  law  that  he  who  would  win  another  to  his 
views  must  meet  him  on  some  point  of  sympathy  and 
agreement.  We  must  not  offend  those  whom  we  de- 
sire to  win. 

Then,  too,  we  need  to  remember  that  the  work  of 
the  mission  is  peace ;  and  that  he  who  has  in  his 
heart  any  purpose  of  war,  lacks  the  first  qualification 
for  missionary  service. 

However  important  the  proceedings  of  this  Con- 
gress may  be  to  those  who  will  have  the  pleasure  of 
participating  in  them,  a  thousand  fold  greater ,will  be 
their  use  if  they  shall  be  widely  published  and  circu- 
lated throughout  the  world.  We  hope  therefore  that 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  or  some  other 
providential  aid,  will  enable  us  to  put  the  proceedings 
of  this  and  the  other  Congresses  of  this  wonderful 
Exposition  Season  into  the  leading  libraries  of  the 
world,  where  they  will  be  accessible  to  those  .who  lead 
the  march  of  thought  in  the  different  departments  of 
progress. 


world's  congress  addresses.  69 

In  conclusion,  I  will  renew  my  greeting  and  wel- 
come, and  wish  you,  in  the  Lord's  name,  the  highest 
possible  success  in  the  work  you  have  come  to  per- 
form. 


EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE. 

Officers  and  Members  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance 
Congress  : 

We  live  in  a  period  of  the  most  marvellous  Chris- 
tian activity,  — a  period  in  which  Christianity,  assum- 
ing an  attitude  never  heretofore  so  fully  held,  essays 
,in  very  truth  the  conquest  of  the  entire  world,  includ- 
ing all  departments  of  human  activity.  Is  "Christi- 
anity declining,"  as  we  have  sometimes  he^rd  sug- 
gested? 

The  world  never  saw  such  a  period  of  religious 
activity  as  that  in  the  midst  of  which  we  now  are. 
Within  a  given  four  years  of  the  past  decade  more 
than  one  thousand  communicants  were  added  to  the 
Protestant  churches  alone  during  every  day  of  the 
entire  period;  more  than  ten  church  temples  were 
erected  on  everyday  of  that  period  of  four  years;  and 
whereas  at  the  beginning  of  the  century  there  was 
scarcely  a  trace  of  professed  Christianity  in  the  col 
leges  and  other  higher  institutions  of  learning,  now 
about  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  students  in  those  institu- 
tions are  professed  Christians. 

At  th€  beginning  of  the  century  only  one  in  a  little 


world's  congress  addresses.  71 

less  than  fifteen  of  the  population  was  a  professed 
Christian.  Now  almost  one  in  five  of  the  population 
bears  that  sacred  name.  Then  dogma  and  ritual  and 
emotion  absorbed,  for  the  most  part,  the  strength  and 
vigor  and  power  of  the  Christian  organisation.  Now 
its  power  and  activity  reach  out  in  every  direction 
and  seek,  as  I  have  already  said,  nothing  less  than 
the  conquest  of  the  entire  earth.  Science,  industry, 
commerce,  charity, — every  field  in  which  man  is  ac- 
tive, now  responds  to  the  direct  influence  of  the 
Christian  church. 

And  last  and  most  surprising,  perhaps,  of  all,  and 
a  most  fitting  thing  to  be  observed  on  this  occasion, 
is  that  religion,  advancing  into  the  domain  of  science, 
finds  in  the  supreme  miracle  of  the  Incarnation,  not 
an  exception  to  or  a  violation  of  the  laws  of  nature, 
but  their  culmination  and  crown,  and  the  key  which 
unlocks  the  entire  mystery  of  creation,  from  the  mo- 
nad to  the  man  ;  sees,  in  this  crowning  act  of  evolu- 
tion, the  fulfilment  of  all  law,  and  not  an  exception 
to  or  a  violation  of  any  law. 

The  Evangelical  Alliance  is  a  special  agency  raised 
up  by  the  hand  of  Divine  Providence  to  promote  the 
unity  and  peace  of  mankind.  Its  special  province 
seems  to  be  to  destroy  what  the  founder  of  the 
Brotherhood  of  Christian  Unity  has  termed,  and  well 
termed,  "Hadesian  Theology," — that  kind  of  theol- 
ogy which  sets  the  different  sects  and  organisations 
of  the  Christian  religion  at  war  with  each  other  about 


72  WORLD  S  CONGRESS  ADDRESSES. 

their  points  of  difference,  instead  of  uniting  them  with 
each  other  against  the  common  foes  of  infidelity  and 
irreligion. 

I  suppose  the  last  part  of  the  twenty-fifth  chapter 
of  Matthew  may  be  declared  almost  the  divine  Consti- 
tution of  the  Evangelical  Alliance.  It  is  to  feed  the 
hungry,  spiritually  and  naturally;  to  give  drink  to  the 
thirsty,  to  befriend  the  stranger,  to  clothe  the  naked, 
to  heal  the  sick,  to  visit  those  who  are  in  prison,  to 
supply  whatever  the  want  may  be,  either  of  the  body 
or  the  soul. 

The  Evangelical  Alliance,  as  I  understand  it,  is  a 
grand  demonstration  of  Applied  Christianity.  Leav- 
ing speculative  and  theoretical  theology  and  Christi- 
anity where  they  may  be  treated  with  the  least  harm 
to  the  general  welfare,  the  churches  now  at  last  band 
themselves  together  to  apply  religion  to  life  in  all  its 
departments.  If  the  Evangelical  Alliance  find  one 
casting  out  devils  in  the  Lord's  name,  it  does  not  for- 
bid him  "because  he  followeth  not  with  us,"  but  re- 
members the  words  of  the  Lord :  "Forbid  him  not, 
for  he  that  is  not  against  us  is  with  us." 

If  the  Evangelical  Alliance  see  some  one  Christian 
denomination  especially  active  in  all  or  any  of  the 
good  works  of  faith  and  charity,  it  rejoices  and  calls 
on  others  to  emulate  the  example  and  engage  in  that 
just  and  generous  rivalry  which  will  bring  all  into 
th.e  common  service  of  God  and  man. 

To  be  evangelical,  we  are  told,  is  to  act  according 


world's  congress  addresses.  73 

to  the  Gospel,  or  what  is  contained  therein.  And  so 
this  Alliance  comes  before  the  world  declaring  that  it 
seeks  the  furtherance  of  its  objects  with  the  intent  to 
manifest  and  strengthen  Christian  unity. 

Thus  the  first  great,  all-pervading  and  command- 
ing object  of  this  organisation  is  Christian  Unity. 
That  means  the  unity  of  all  who  breathe  the  name  of 
Christ  in  reverence  and  who  serve  Him  under  any 
form  of  faith.  Its  further  object  is  to  promote  Re- 
ligious Liberty. 

What  is  religious  liberty?  Not  merely  the  liberty 
to  attend  the  religious  service  one  may  select,  but 
liberty  of  mind  and  conscience  and  heart  to  seek  out 
God,  and  find  Him  and  worship  Him  without  any 
human  restraint  in  the  sacred  relation  which  exists 
between  the  soul  and  its  Creator. 

And  finally  and  most  appropriately,  to  promote 
every  kind  of  Christian  work.  And  this  last  object  of 
the  Evangehcal  Alliance  comprehends  all  the  others, 
in  such  a  way  that  where  all  are  co-operating  in 
Christian  work  they  will  not  fail  to  exercise  towards 
each  other  the  privileges  of  Religious  Liberty  and 
seek  to  promote  Christian  Unity.  And  this  without 
interfering  with  the  internal  affairs  of  the  different 
denominations.  Thus  the  Quaker,  the  Episcopalian, 
the  Baptist,  and  members  of  all  the  other  denomina- 
tions, may  each  worship  God  in  his  own  way,  and 
each   have   the  forms   and   expressions   and   services 


74  world's  congress  addresses. 

which  he  may  find  best  adapted  to  his  condition  and 
circumstances. 

The  history  of  this  movement  is  certainly  as  noble 
and  inspiring  as  that  of  any  other  in  the  present  half- 
century.  From  the  inception  of  the  movement,  in 
London  in  1846,  down  to  the  last  general  meeting  in 
Florence,  in  1891,  and  on  to  this  World's  Congress 
which  opens  here  in  Chicago  to-day,  there  has  been 
one  long  and  glorious  campaign  against  the  common 
enemies  of  mankind,  one  long  and  glorious  advance 
in  the  best  work  of  the  Christian  warfare. 

Thus  the  original  scope  of  the  movement,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  has  been  enlarged  and  ex- 
alted. Its  sweep  is  greater,  its  reach  is  farther  than 
when  it  first  set  out  upon  its  mission.  He  who  will 
examine  the  programme  prepared  for  this  occasion 
cannot  but  be  surprised  at  the  extent  and  variety  of 
the  subjects  to  be  presented,  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
for  consideration  and  treatment.  Missions,  nurses, 
visitations,  baths,  education,  social  purity,  social  set- 
tlements, working  girls'  clubs,  physical  training,  pop- 
ular lectures,  reading  circles,  tenement  reforms,  or- 
ganised charities,  reform  of  criminal  administration, 
and  many  other  subjects  are  embraced  in  this  splendid 
programme. 

Who  opposes  the  work  which  the  Evangelical  Al- 
liance sets  out  to  do?  Not  the  Jew,  not  the  Catholic, 
not  the  Protestant,  not  any  one  who  can  claim  the 
respect  and  affection  of  his  fellow-men.     It  is  the  na- 


WORLD  S  CONGRESS  ADDRESSES.  75 

ture  of  applied  Christianity  to  commend  itself  to  every 
human  heart.  It  is  not  in  its  nature  to  excite  opposi- 
tion or  hostility ;  its  exceedingly  sweet  and  winning 
character  naturally  awakens  affection  and  respect. 

This  occasion,  following  the  Parliament  of  the 
World's  Religions,  is  nothing  less  than  a  Parliament 
of  the  Churches  of  Christendom,  with  equal  charity, 
in  the  spirit  of  Him  who  ate  even  with  publicans  and 
sinners  in  order  that  He  might  win  their  hearts  and 
heal  their  sickness  of  sin. 

''Put  up  thy  sword,"  is  a  perpetual  command. 
The  conquest  of  the  world  will  come  by  the  beauty  of 
holiness,  by  living  and  acting  the  Golden  Rule,  and 
not  by  any  methods  of  offensive  warfare,  natural  or 
spiritual.  What  this  Congress  may  do,  the  tremend- 
ous impulse  it  may  give  to  the  work  which  it  has 
come  to  perform,  can  scarcely  be  depicted,  and  yet 
may  be  foreseen.  It  may  affect  not  only  Christendom, 
but  the  whole  world;  for  what  affects  Christendom 
affects  the  whole  world.  The  mission  of  the  Alliance 
is  peace.  It  welcomes  every  ally  in  its  work,  and  re- 
joices over  every  victory  won. 

With  the  hope  that  this  closing  Congress  of  the 
great  Department  of  Religion  of  the  World's  Congress 
Auxiliary  may  realise  every  hope  and  expectation  en- 
tertained in  regard  to  it,  I  salute  and  welcome  you. 


THE  WORLD'S  CONGRESSES  OF  1893. 

FINAL  SESSION. 

Members  and  Friends  of  the  World's    Congress 
Auxiliary  : 

The  World's  Congresses  of  1893  were  organised 
to  establish  fraternal  relations  among  the  leaders  of 
mankind;  to  review  the  progress  already  achieved; 
to  state  the  living  problems  now  awaiting  solution, 
and  to  suggest  the  means  of  future  advancement. 

To  promote  these  high  ends,  the  World's  Congress 
Auxiliary  provided  for  the  presentation  of  the  intellec- 
tual and  moral  progress  of  mankind,  in  connexion 
with  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition,  in  a  series 
of  World's  Congresses  under  the  auspices  of  the  Aux- 
iliary, with  the  assistance  of  the  leaders  in  the  various 
departments  of  human  achievement. 

The  work  of  organisation  commenced  in  October, 
1889,  was  completed,  and  the  first  Congress  of  the 
series  opened  in  May,  1893.  The  last  Congress  em- 
braced in  the  great  scheme  has  been  held  during  the 
present  week,  and  we  have  now  assembled  to  exchange 
our  congratulations  on  the  magnificent  results  of  the 
World's  Congress  work  ;  to  express  our   gratitude  for 


world's  congress  addresses.  77 

the  past,  our  hopes  for  the  future  and  our  thanks  to 
all  whose  aid  has  contributed  to  the  success  which  we 
celebrate  on  this  occasion. 

That  these  Congresses  have  been  successful  far 
beyond  anticipation  ;  that  they  have  transformed  into 
enduring  realities  the  hopes  of  those  who  organised 
and  conducted  them,  and  that  they  will  exercise  a  be- 
nign and  potent  influence  on  the  welfare  of  mankind 
through  the  coming  centuries,  has  been  so  often,  so 
emphatically  and  so  eloquently  declared  by  eminent 
representatives  of  different  countries  and  peoples,  that 
these  statements  may  be  accepted  as  established  facts. 

That  the  material  exhibit  of  the  World's  Colum- 
bian Exposition  in  Jackson  Park  is  the  most  complete 
and  magnificent  ever  presented  to  human  view,  is  gen- 
erally agreed,  but  a  multitude  of  eminent  witnesses 
have  declared,  after  attendance  on  both,  that  the  In- 
tellectual and  Moral  Exposition  of  the  Progress  of 
Mankind  presented  in  the  World's  Congresses  of  1893 
is  greater  and  more  imposing  still. 

Thus  the  work  of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary 
of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  takes  its  endur- 
ing place  in  human  history,  an  imperishable  part  of 
the  progress  of  mankind. 

Although  the  press  reports  of  the  proceedings  have 
in  many  cases  been  marvels  of  modern  journalism, 
the  general  success  of  the  Congresses  has  been  much 
greater  than  has  generally  been  understood.  For  the 
Congresses  have  been  so  many  and  the  sessions  so 


78  world's  congress  addresses. 

numerous,  that  even  that  wonder  of  the  age,  the  great 
daily  newspaper,  could  not  fully  present  the  work  of 
the  Congresses  without  the  suppression  of  other  im- 
portant news.  It  is  with  gratitude  for  the  admirable 
service  rendered  that  this  explanation  is  made. 

As  a  general  rule,  what  have  been  termed  "the 
minor  congresses  "  have  been  declared  by  those  who 
conducted  them,  or  otherwise  participated  in  them, 
to  have  been  the  most  important  of  the  kind  ever  held, 
in  the  character,  variety,  and  number  of  the  subjects 
presented,  and  the  eminence  and  representative  char- 
acter of  the  speakers  and  writers.  The  very  high 
quality  of  the  papers  read  has  been  a  subject  of  daily 
comment. 

Considering  all  the  circumstances,  it  may  be  said 
that  the  programmes  prepared  have  been  executed 
with  remarkable  fidelity.  A  few  of  those  whose  names 
were  announced  have  failed  to  appear,  or  send  their 
papers,  but  many  others  have  come  and  more  than 
filled  the  vacant  places.  Being  human,  the  proceed- 
ings have,  of  course,  not  been  perfect,  but  the  wonder 
is  that  the  imperfections  have  been  so  few  and  small, 
and  the  merits  so  conspicuous  and  so  great. 

The  genuineness  of  the  attendance  and  participa- 
tion deserves  special  mention.  The  World's  Congress 
Auxiliary  has  had  no  funds  for  compensation,  ex- 
penses or  entertainment  of  participants  in  the  Con- 
gresses. In  a  few  cases,  the  Committees  of  Organi- 
sation have  raised  funds  for  such  purposes  by  private 


WORLD  S  CONGRESS  ADDRESSES.  79 

subscription,  but  for  the  most  part,  the  writers  and 
speakers  have  come  at  their  own  expense,  and  with- 
out any  pecuniary  reward  or  assistance,  to  take  part 
in  the  great  Intellectual  and  Moral  Exposition  of  1893. 

No  sign  has  ever  been  displayed  on  the  walls  of 
the  Memorial  Art  Palace  to  draw  the  passing  crowds. 
Those  who  have  come  to  the  Congresses  have  found 
the  place  of  holding  them  without  any  such  aid.  The 
aggregate  attendance  has  been  very  large.  Estimates 
of  the  attendance  are  given  by  the  secretary  in  his  re- 
port. 

While  some  of  the  Congresses  have  drawn  audi- 
ences limited  only  by  the  size  of  the  halls  of  meeting, 
others,  perhaps  equally  important,  have  been  attended 
by  a  comparatively  small  number  of  eminent  repre- 
sentatives of  the  interests  involved.  But  whether  a 
double  audience  has  filled  both  of  the  great  audience 
rooms  of  Columbus  and  Washington  to  overflowing, 
or  a  small  company  has  occupied  one  of  the  halls  on 
the  upper  floor  of  the  Memorial  Art  Palace,  the  high 
character  of  the  proceedings  has  been  maintained. 

Another  feature  of  the  Congresses  deserves  special 
mention.  It  is  their  self-governing  quality.  There 
has  been  little  need  for  the  enforcement  of  rules  and 
regulations.  Few  speakers  have  given  occasion  for 
a  call  to  order.  The  spirit  of  order,  decorum,  dignity 
and  peace  has  been  sovereign  during  the  sessions  of 
these  Congresses.  This  ruling  spirit  has  so  promptly 
rebuked  any  attempt  to  overstep  the  limits  of  propri- 


8o  world's  congress  addresses. 

ety  as  to  leave  little  occasion  for  presiding  officers  to 
exercise  their  authority;  little  occasion  to  guard  seats 
reserved  for  delegates,  or  to  insist  upon  tickets  or 
badges  of  admission. 

The  machinery  of  organisation,  and  the  general 
regulations  adopted  for  the  government  of  the  Con- 
gresses, have  proven  remarkably  satisfactor)-.  The 
exclusion  of  controversy,  attack  and  resolutions  of 
judgment,  has  secured  a  freedom,  ease,  and  equality 
otherwise  unattainable ;  and  has  exalted  the  dignity 
of  the  proceedings  by  making  the  writers  and  speak- 
ers feel  that  their  utterances  were  addressed  to  the 
deliberate  judgment  of  the  world,  instead  of  the  im- 
pulse that  might  control  the  assembly  for  an  hour. 

The  local  Committees  of  Organisation,  the  Com- 
mittees of  Co-operation  on  the  part  of  participating 
organisations,  the  Advisory  Councils  of  the  various 
Congresses,  selected  from  the  different  countries,  and 
the  General  Honorary  Members  of  the  World's  Con- 
gress Auxiliary,  constitute  a  practical  working  ma- 
chinery which  could  hardly  be  improved  if  other 
World's  Congresses  were  to  be  arranged  and  con- 
ducted. 

The  wisdom  of  the  general  plan  of  arrangements 

« 

has  been  abundantly  demonstrated.  Without  a  defi- 
nite organisation  in  well-defined  and  strictly  regulated 
departments,  general  divisions  and  sections,  no  such 
success  as  we  now  celebrate  would  have  been  pos- 
sible. 


world's  congress  addresses.  8i 

If  the  so-called  Secularists  or  Freethinkers  were 
denied  admission  to  the  Religious  Congresses,  it  was 
not  from  any  personal  ill-will,  but  because  they  had 
no  religious  faith  to  affirm,  and  no  religious  achieve- 
ments to  set  forth.  If  the  Mormon  Church  was  not 
admitted  to  the  Parliament  of  Religions,  it  was  not 
because  of  any  discrimination  against  its  religious 
faith,  but  for  the  reason  that  its  disclaimer  of  a  prac- 
tice forbidden  by  the  laws  of  the  country  had  not  be- 
come sufficiently  established  to  warrant  such  admis- 
sion. In  both  these  cases,  and  in  some  others  of  a 
less  conspicuous  character,  the  action  of  the  World's 
Congress  Auxiliary  was  in  conformity  with  the  high- 
est rules  of  charity  and  justice.  No  attack  was  made 
on  any  excluded  interest  or  organisation. 

The  extraordinary  merit  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
whole  series  of  Congresses  renews  our  confidence  that 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  which  sent  our 
publications  and  communications  throughout  the 
world,  and  gave  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary  an 
exalted  position  as  the  duly  authorised  agency  to  or- 
ganise and  conduct  the  World's  Congresses  of  1893, 
will  furnish  the  means  to  publish  the  entire  proceed- 
ings in  an  encyclopaedic  form ;  and  send  the  same  to 
the  colleges,  the  universities  and  the  leading  libraries 
of  the  countries  which  have  participated  in  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition,  as  the  most  appropriate,  en- 
during and  valuable  testimonial  of  the  appreciation 
by  the  American  people  of  the  co-operation  and  aid 


82  world's  conpress  addresses. 

of  the  other  peoples  of  the  world  in  the  great  events 
of  this  quadro-centennial  year.  To  that  end,  let  all 
who  have  been  interested  in  the  Congresses,  exert 
their  influence  in  favor  of  such  a  publication  and  dis- 
tribution. 

In  one  of  the  earlier  publications  of  the  World's 
Congress  Auxiliarj',  it  was  declared  to  be  our  purpose 
to  bring  all  the  departments  of  human  progress  into 
harmonious  relations  with  each  other;  to  crown  the 
whole  glorious  work  by  the  formation  and  adoption 
of  better  and  more  comprehensive  plans  than  have 
hitherto  been  made  to  promote  the  progress,  prosper- 
ity, unity,  peace,  and  happiness  of  the  world;  and  to 
secure  the  effectual  prosecution  of  such  plans  by  the 
organisation  of  a  series  of  world-wide  fraternities, 
through  whose  efforts  and  influence  the  moral  and  in- 
tellectual forces  of  mankind  may  be  made  dominant 
throughout  the  world. 

This  declaration  I  now  repeat,  and  in  conformity 
with  it  proclaim  the  permanent  establishment  of  The 
World's  Congress  Fraternity,  as  the  Universal 
Brotherhood  of  Learning  and  Virtue. 

The  original  membership  of  this  Fraternity  will 
consist  of  the  officers  and  members,  the  committees 
of  organisation,  the  committees  of  co-operation,  the 
advisory  councils  and  the  general  honorary  members 
of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary,  and  the  partici- 
pants in  the  proceedings  of  the  several  Congresses. 
The  members  of  these  several  classes,  in  any  country 


world's  congress  addresses.  83 

or  city,  or  other  appropriate  locality,  may  organise 
and  conduct  local  centres  for  the  continuation,  in  any 
convenient  form,  of  the  World's  Congress  work,  and 
may  communicate  with  the  corresponding  classes  in 
other  countries  or  localities,  and  unite  with  them  in 
furtherance  of  the  ends  in  view,  as  occasion  may  from 
time  to  time  require.  In  case  of  any  future  World's 
Congress,  or  International  Congress,  the  organisa- 
tions indicated  may  offer  and  give  any  appropriate 
and  desired  co-operation  and  aid,  in  conformity  with 
the  general  principles  and  rules  which  have  governed 
the  Congresses  of  1893.  Additional  committees  and 
councils  may  be  appointed,  and  further  proceedings 
taken,  if  need  therefor  shall  hereafter  arise.  The 
present  organisation  will  be  continued  for  fraternal 
and  historic  purposes  and  for  such  further  active  work 
as  cannot  otherwise  be  better  accomplished. 

The  time  now  at  my  command  will  not  permit  me 
even  to  name  the  many  committees  of  organisation  by 
which  the  various  Congresses  were  arranged.  It  is, 
however,  both  my  duty  and  my  pleasure  to  say  of 
them  that  the  fidelity,  the  patience,  and  the  zeal,  the 
ability,  the  discrimination,  and  the  executive  skill  with 
which  the  chairman  and  the  members  of  the  more 
than  two  hundred,  committees  of  organisation  have 
conducted  the  correspondence,  made  the  arrange- 
ments and  formed  the  programmes  for  the  more  than 
two  hundred  Congresses  which  have  been  held  in  the 
twenty  departments  of  the  Auxiliary,  constitute  one 


84  world's  congress  addresses. 

of  the  marvels  of  the  World's  Congress  work.  The 
discipline  and  subordination  which  have  attended  the 
execution  of  the  great  and  complicated  scheme  would 
do  honor  to  the  best  organised  department  of  any 
government.  So  efficiently  and  so  silently  have  these 
committees  done  their  work  that  the  great  public  they 
have  served  needs  to  be  reminded  of  their  part  in  the 
splendid  results  achieved.  A  publication  which  will 
present  the  full  membership  of  these  and  the  other 
committees  of  the  World's  Congress  Auxiliary  is  in 
contemplation. 

These  words  of  praise  are  intended  quite  explicitly 
to  apply  to  the  Woman's  Branch  of  the  World's  Con- 
gress Auxiliary.  Many  predictions  were  made  at  the 
outset  that  this  branch  would  prove  an  unmanageable 
part  of  the  organisation.  But  these  predictions  have 
not  been  verified.  More  than  sixty  committees  of 
women  have  taken  part  in  the  work.  A  part  of  one 
of  those  committees,  acting  under  a  misapprehension, 
resigned,  but  the  action  of  the  various  committees,  as 
a  whole  and  in  detail,  has  been  most  creditable.  For 
conformity  to  the  plan  of  the  work,  for  subordination 
to  executive  authority,  for  economy  of  time,  and  for 
the  wise  and  efficient  arrangement  of  the  programmes 
entrusted  to  their  charge,  the  officers  and  committees 
of  the  Woman's  Branch  of  the  World's  Congress  Aux- 
iliary are  entitled  to  the  highest  credit.  It  would  be 
easy  to  specify  cases  in  which  these  qualities  were 
conspicuously  displayed. 


world's  congress  addresses.  85 

The  magnificent  array  of  eminent  thinkers  and 
leaders  who'  have  contributed  papers  or  addresses  for 
the  Congresses,  deserve  whatever  honors  our  own  and 
other  countries  can  bestow,  for  they  have  made  the 
world  their  debtor.  Those  papers  and  addresses  con- 
stitute such  an  encyclopaedia  of  the  best  thoughts  of 
all  countries  on  the  living  questions  of  the  age  as  can- 
not elsewhere  be  found. 

The  first  attempt  to  bring  all  the  departments 
of  human  progress  into  harmonious  relations  in  a 
series  of  international  congresses  has  triumphed.  The 
World's  Congress  idea  is  established  among  the  peo- 
ples of  the  earth.  Every  participating  organisation 
and  interest  has  been  exalted  by  its  association  with 
the  others. 

"N.0T  THINGS  BUT  MEN  !       NOT   MATTER  BUT  MIND  !" 

will  henceforth  rank  among  the  commanding  watch- 
words of  mankind. 

The  Parliament  of  Religions  has  emancipated  the 
world  from  bigotry,  and  henceforth  civil  and  religious 
liberty  will  have  a  larger  and  easier  sway. 

Labor  has  found  in  religion  and  social  science  its 
strongest  allies,  and  will  henceforth  advance  to  vic- 
tory along  the  lines  of  law  and  order  and  peace. 

Woman's  progress  will  secure  for  her  in  the  larger 
family  of  the  school,  the  Church  and  the  State,  a  posi- 
tion perfectly  corresponding  to  that  which  she  right- 
fully holds  in  the  smaller  school  and  Church  and  State 
of  the  family. 


86  world's  congress  addresses. 

Moral  and  Social  Reform  has  adopted  tlie  methods 
of  science,  and  charities  will  henceforth  be  admin- 
istered for  the  prevention  as  well  as  for  the  relief  of 
social  evils. 

Commerce,  finance,  production,  transportation  and 
distribution  have  learned  that  the  gilded  piracy  of  de- 
structive competition  must  be  abandoned  for  the  be- 
neficent policy  of  co-operation,  to  secure  the  best  re- 
sults to  all  concerned. 

Science  and  philosophy  have  learned  the  lesson  of 
fraternity  and  human  service  ;  and  education,  thor- 
oughly humanised  and  exalted,  offers  its  priceless 
treasures  to  "all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men,"  while 
the  world  applauds  the  new  crusade  against  the  evils 
of  ignorance. 

Let  this  suffice.  The  progress  made  in  the  World's 
Congresses  of  1893  will  not  be  lost.  The  movement 
of  which  they  are  a  part  holds  the  whole  world  in  its 
embrace,  and  will  not  cease  till  it  shall  have  accom- 
plished the  mandate  of  God  to  unite  all  the  peoples  of 
the  earth  in  "  the  bonds  of  peace  and  in  righteousness 
of  life."  It  is  because  we  have  served  His  plans  that 
success  has  crowned  our  efforts. 

The  last  session  of  the  World's  Congress  season  is 
now  to  close.  As  we  say  "good  bye" — that  tenderest 
form  of  the  invocation,  "God  be  With  You" — let  us 
recall,  with  grateful  hearts,  a  few  of  the  golden  ex- 
pressions in  which  judgment  upon  our  work  has  been 


world's  congress  addresses.  87 

pronounced  by  judges  competent  to  pass  upon  its 
merits. 

"The  World's  Congresses  of  1893  have  advanced 
the  thought  of  the  world  fifty  years." 

"The  proceedings  of  these  Congresses  mark  a 
new  era  in  literature,  by  their  wealth  of  thought  and 
felicity  of  expression  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the 
world." 

"These  Congresses  will  exercise  a  powerful  influ- 
ence on  mankind  for  centuries  to  come." 

"  The  Parliament  of  Religions  is  the  most  wonder- 
ful event  since  the  time  of  Christ." 

"A  hundred  years  hence,  everybody  will  remember 
that  there  was  a  great  Religious  Congress  of  all  peo- 
ples, held  in  Chicago  in  1893." 

"The  results  of  these  Congresses  seem  likely  to 
be  too  vast  and  far-reaching  to  be  easily  specified." 

"These  Congresses  are  the  most  notable  and  val- 
uable events  of  the  time.  They  embody  the  best  in- 
telligence of  the  age  upon  all  human  interests." 

These  expressions  are  but  fair  examples  of  those 
which  we  have  heard  from  day  to  day,  and  in  many 
forms  during  the  sessions  of  the  World's  Congresses. 
Rarely,  indeed,  does  such  swift  fulfilment  wait  on 
prophecy  as  we  have  witnessed  ;  rarely,  indeed,  do 
those  engaged  in  a  new  and  great  undertaking,  find 
such  appreciation  and  encouragement  as  it  has  been 
our  felicity  to  receive. 

But  above  all,  let  us  rejoice  that  our  success  has 


88  world's  congress  addresses. 

been  achieved  in  a  practical  and  earnest  endeavor  to 
help  our  fellow-men  ;  and  that  in  all  our  labors,  fidel- 
ity to  duty  has  been  our  guiding  star. 

Four  years  have  passed  since  we  entered  upon  our 
undertaking — four  wonderful  years,  whose  great  events 
make  them  seem  like  four  centuries;  and  now  the  hour 
of  parting  has  arrived. 

With  warmest  thanks  to  all  who  have  taken  part 
in  the  work  we  celebrate,  and  who,  representing  all 
the  continents  and  most  of  the  countries  of  the  earth, 
now  constitute  the  World's  Congress  Fraternity  and 
the  vanguard  of  human  progress, — especially  to  those 
who  journeyed  from  distant  lands  to  share  our  labors, 
and  some  of  whom  we  rejoice  again  to  meet  in  these 
closing  ceremonies  ;  and  with  an  abiding  faith  that 
henceforth  the  armies  of  learning,  virtue,  industry  and 
peace  will  march  triumphantly  forward  till  the  hosts 
of  ignorance,  vice,  idleness  and  strife  shall  everywhere 
be  conquered  and  dispersed,  and  law,  liberty,  and  jus- 
tice reign  supreme,  I  now  declare  the  close  of  the 
World's  Congresses  of  1S93. 


'  ► 


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No    I.  The  Religion  of  Science.     By  Paul  Cards.     25  cents  (is.  6d.). 

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By  F.  Max  MOller.     25  cents  (is.  6d.). 

3.  Three  Lectures  on  the  Science  of  Language.    By  F.  Max 

MuLi.ER.     25  cents  (is.  6d.). 

4  The  Diseases  of  Personality.     By  Th.  Ribot.     250(13.  6d.). 

5  The  Psychology  of  Attention.    By  Th.  Ribot.     25c  (is.  6d.). 

6.  The  Psychic  Life  of  Micro-Organisms.  A.  Binet.  25c  (is.  6d.) 

7.  The  Nature  of  the  State.     By  Paul  Caros.     15  cents  (gd.). 

8.  On  Double  Cunsciuusness.     By  Alfred  Binet.     15c  (gd  ) 

9.  Fundamental  Problems.    PaulCaru.s.  Pp.,  373-  50c.  (2s.6d  ). 

10.  The  Diseases  of  the  Will.     By  Th.  Ribot.     25  cents.  (is.6d.). 

11.  The  Origin  of  Language,  and  The  Logos  Theory.    By  Lud- 

wiG  NoiRfe.      i5C"nts(9d.) 

12.  The  Free  Trade  Struggle  In  England.    By  Gen.  M.  M.  Trum- 

bull.    25  cents  (is  6d.). 

13.  Wheelbarrow  on  the  Labor  Question.    35  cents  (2s.). 

14.  The  Qospei  of  Buddha.     By  Paul  Carus.     35  cents  (2s.) 

15.  Primer  of  Philosophy.     Hy  Paul  Carus.     25  cents   (is.  6d.). 

16.  On  Memory,  and  The  Specific  Energies  of  the   Nervoud 

System.     By  Prof.  Ewalo  Hf.ring.     15  cents(9d.). 

17.  The  Redemption  of  the  Bruhman.  By  R.  Garbb.  25c  (is.  6d.). 

18.  An  Examination  of  Weismannism.  G.  J.  Romanes.  35c  (2s  ). 

19.  On  Qermlnal  Selection.    By  August  Weismann.  25c  (is.  6d.). 

20.  (Out  of  print.) 

21.  Popular  Scientific  Lectures.     By  Ernst  Mach.     50c  (2s.  6d.). 

22.  Ancient  India.     Its  Language  and  Religions.     By  Prof.  H. 

Oldenberg.     25  cents  (is.  6d.). 

23.  The  Prophets  of  Israel.  By  Prof.  C.  H.  Cornill.  25c(is.  6d.). 

24.  Homilies  of  Science.     By  Dr.  Paul  Carus.     35  cents  (2s.). 

25.  Thoughts  on  Religion.     By  G.  J.  Romanes.     50  cents. 

26.  The  Philosophy  of  Ancient  India.  By  R.  Garbe.   25c.(is.6d.). 

27.  Martin  Luther.     By  Gustav  Freytag.     25  cents  (is.  6d.). 

28.  English  Secularism.     Guorgk  Jacob  Holyoake.     25c. 

29.  Oh  Orthogenesis.     By  Th.  Eimfr.     25c  (is.  6d.). 

30.  Chinese  Philosophy.     By  Paul  Carus.     25c  (is.  6d.). 

31.  The  Lost  Manuscript.     By  Gustav  Freytag.     60  cents  (3s.). 

32.  A  Mechanico-Physiological  Theory  of  Organic  Evolution. 

Carl  von  N.\geli.     15c  (gd.). 

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34.  Mathematical  Essays  and  Recreations.     By  H.  Schubert. 

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35.  The  Ethical  Problem.     By  Paul  Carus.     50  cents  (2s.  6d.). 

36.  Buddhism  and  Its  Christian  Critics.  Paul  Carus.  5oc(2s.6d.) 

37.  Psychology  for  Beginners.     Hiram  M.  Stanley.     20c.    (is.) 

38.  Discourse  on  Method.     Ren6  Df.scartes.     25c  (is.  6d.). 

39.  The  Dawn  of  a  New  Era.     Paul  Carus.     15c.  (gd.). 

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41.  The  Soul  of  Man.     Paul  Carus.     75  cents  (3s.  6d.). 

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